Department for Transport

Department for Transport: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Andrew Stephenson: This funding will be published as part of the Supplementary Estimates later this year. The initial funding agreed has been incorporated with the Main Estimate Memorandum, which has been published at the estimate level. This can be found via the following link: Main Estimate 21-22 Memorandum (parliament.uk). The figures by individual scheme level will also be published in due course.

Aviation: Russia

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Civil Aviation Authorities Siren notification concerning the NOTAM issued on 25 February 2022 at 21:00 GMT was communicated to all UK airports.

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Civil Aviation Authorities Siren notification concerning the NOTAM issued on 25 February 2022 at 21:00 GMT was communicated to Highlands and Islands Airport.

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will investigate whether the NATS Centre at Prestwick gave authorisation for a private jet to travel from Highlands and Islands Airport to Moscow on 26 February 2022; and if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of that authorisation with the NOTAM issued on the 25 February 2022 at 21:00 GMT.

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many flights in the UK have been given air traffic control authorisation to travel to a destination in the Russian Federation since the issuing of the NOTAM on the 25 February 2022 at 21:00 GMT.

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a private or chartered aircraft registered in a third country other than the Russian Federation is prevented from travelling to the Russian Federation under the terms of the NOTAM issued on the 25 February 2022 at 21:00 GMT.

Robert Courts: The restrictions prohibit any aircraft registered in Russia, or any aircraft, - irrespective of the state registry - that is owned, chartered, or operated by a person connected with Russia, from using UK airspace.On 25 February, in a tit for tat response, the Russian authorities banned aircraft owned, leased or operated by a person associated with the UK, or registered in the UK from landing at Russia's airports and from crossing its airspace.We have remained engaged with NATS throughout and grateful to their work to reject flight plans submitted by Russian registered aircraft and working with us to investigate any potential breaches. NATS has confirmed to the Department that there have been two flights, operated by non-UK airlines, from UK to Russia since the 25 February.Regarding notifications of the restrictions, a NOTAM was issued at 21:00 on 25 February informing all aviation stakeholders of the new strengthened restrictions. It is the responsibility of all aviation, including HIAL and Inverness Airport, to check NOTAMs. A further guidance was sent to the aviation industry, including HIAL, via the CAA Siren system on 26 February at 18:59. This provided the industry further clarification on the restrictions; however, the industry would have been fully aware restrictions were in place via the appropriate route, which was the NOTAM.

Electric Vehicles: Safety

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help raise awareness on electric vehicle safety across the UK.

Trudy Harrison: The safety of electric vehicles and their charging is important to the Government and is kept under regular review. Before vehicles can be sold or registered in the UK the manufacturer must supply evidence that the vehicle complies with international approval requirements. For hybrid and electric vehicles electrical safety is included in this assessment. There is a wide pool of regulations and standards, as well as enforcement mechanisms, covering this. The Department for Transport regularly engages with the bodies, such as the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency, who enforce those regulations to ensure safety outcomes for the general public.For chargepoints, the Government requires electric vehicle chargepoint installers to follow the latest British Standards and the Institute for Electrical Technicians’ latest code of practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation. As is the case for all vehicles, electric vehicle drivers should ensure that they understand and adhere to the guidance detailed in the instructions for the specific vehicle they purchase.

Aviation

Catherine West: What discussions he has held with airlines on the practice of running empty or near-empty flights to retain landing slots at airports.

Robert Courts: My officials and I have had regular engagement with industry throughout the pandemic and have worked constructively together on many cross-cutting issues.Targeted consultations have taken place with airports, airlines and industry bodies to discuss and gather evidence for what measures are appropriate. Our most recent consultation with industry took place between 15 November and 13 December which assisted us in our decision to continue with alleviation from normal slot usage rules for the Summer 2022 season.Further consultation on whether alleviation is necessary for the Winter 2022 season and what form this might take will take place shortly.

Aviation

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to stop UK airlines running empty or near-empty flights to retain landing slots at airports.

Robert Courts: The Government acted swiftly to tackle the risk of empty or near empty aircraft continuing to fly during the pandemic solely to retain their slots. The rules requiring airlines to fly 80% of their slots in order to retain them for the subsequent season were fully suspended for the Summer 2020, Winter 2020/21 and Summer 2021 slot scheduling seasons.The Government secured more flexible powers through the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft (ATMUA) Act 2021. This allows the Government to amend the usual landing slot rules, where the evidence supports, preventing airlines operating empty or near-empty flights.For the current Winter 2021/22 season, the Government has used the ATMUA Act 2021 to introduce a package of measures designed to support the recovery of the sector and protect air carriers from operating empty or near-empty flights. For the Summer 2022 season, further alleviation is planned which will support the recovery in passenger demand and give airlines the flexibility not to operate their slots where there are COVID-19 related restrictions.We will consult with airlines, airports and aviation industry bodies shortly on whether further alleviation is needed for the Winter 2022 season and beyond.

Shipping: Crew

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the national statistics for Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry published on 22 February 2022, if he will make an estimate of the number of (a) UK and (b) non-UK resident seafarers employed on workboats or crew transfer vessels in the offshore renewables sector.

Robert Courts: The Department does not hold data on seafarers by country of residence, or for individual vessels or sectors. Some estimates of seafarers by nationality are available in the published statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seafarers-in-the-uk-shipping-industry-2021/seafarers-in-the-uk-shipping-industry-2021https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/seafarer-statistics-sfrThose working on smaller vessels, such as those belonging to the National Workboat Association are unlikely to be covered in the UK seafarer figures and no estimate is available.

Shipping: Crew

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the national statistics for Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry published on 22 February 2022, what steps he is taking to increase the number of UK-based ratings employed on (a) domestic and (b) international routes in the UK shipping industry.

Robert Courts: Measures such as the amendments to the national minimum wage and the points-based visa system will increase opportunities for UK seafarers in the UK domestic market and set a minimum salary level.We remain committed to the training of ratings. A range of apprenticeships are available for UK ratings, all have been established over recent years. Apprenticeships policy is devolved so there are different ratings apprenticeships available in England and Scotland.In England, Able Seafarer (Deck), Maritime Electrical/Mechanical Mechanic and Maritime Caterer are offered. In Scotland, Deck Rating, Engine Room Rating and Hospitality with Maritime Enhancements are available.Over the last five years the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has introduced a more flexible pathway for UK seafarers to qualify as ratings. By allowing the qualifying seagoing service to take place in categorised waters and on smaller vessels of at least 15 metres, the MCA have allowed those working on workboats, domestic ferries, yachts and other smaller vessel to qualify as an STCW rating.These measures will improve employment opportunities for UK ratings both domestically and internationally.

Shipping: Crew

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference the national statistics for Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry published on 22 February 2022, what the response rate was to the Seafarer Employment Survey conducted by the UK Chamber of Shipping.

Robert Courts: Information on the response rate for the Seafarer Employment Survey conducted by the UK Chamber of Shipping can be found in section 3 of the Seafarers in the UK shipping industry statistical release. The survey response rate of companies in the scope of the survey in 2021 was 87%, a similar response rate to 2020.An adjustment method has been developed and applied to the data collected to account for non-response in the survey. Although the Chamber of Shipping data does not provide a complete coverage of the UK shipping industry, the statistics represent the best current estimate.

Shipping: Training

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2022 to Question 121721, on Shipping: Training, what the total number of months of ratings training that companies completed in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22 was.

Robert Courts: According to the returns we received from the companies concerned the total number of rating training months completed in 2019-20 was 276. The equivalent figure for 2020-21 was 65. We cannot provide a definitive answer for 2021-22 as the training year is still in progress.

Shipping: Training

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2022 to Question 121721, on Shipping: Training, how many qualifying groups or companies trained Ratings in order to meet the Minimum Training Obligation in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22.

Robert Courts: According to the returns submitted by companies within the UK Tonnage Tax scheme, three completed training for ratings as part of their efforts to meet their Minimum Training Obligation in 2019-20 and two in 2020-21. We cannot provide a definitive answer for 2021-22 as the training year is still in progress.

Shipping: Russia

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date he plans to bring forward legislation on prohibiting Russian vessels from entering UK ports.

Robert Courts: Tuesday 1 March 2022. This was a vital measure to take in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The Government has acted decisively.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Postal Services: Regulation

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions officials in his Department have had with Ofcom on allowing tracking in the Universal Service as part of the Review of postal regulation.

Paul Scully: The Department has regular discussions with Ofcom on a wide range of issues, including its duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. Ofcom has indicated in its consultation on its current review of postal regulation, that it does not intend to bring tracked products into the scope of the universal service (First and Second Class services) because of the potential impacts on end-to-end parcels competition. Ofcom’s consultation closed for responses on 3 March. The Government has no role in such decisions which are a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator for postal services.

Foreign Companies: Property

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what date he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to establish a public register of overseas property ownership.

Paul Scully: As announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 28 February, a Register of Overseas Entities will be legislated for within the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, introduced to Parliament on 1 March.

Power Failures: Emergency Calls

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to make the 105 power cut phone number the same status as 999 to enable free emergency calls to that number from any mobile phone network.

Greg Hands: Giving the “105” number a similar status as the 999/112 Public Emergency Call Service number would require a change to primary legislation - most likely to the Communications Act (2003) - which would require thorough consultation with Industry, Ofcom, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Small Modular Reactors

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support the development of small modular reactors.

Greg Hands: The Net Zero Strategy makes clear that nuclear is an important part of the Government’s plans to achieve net zero. Up to £210 million in Government grant funding was announced in November 2021 for Rolls-Royce SMR to further develop the design for one of the world’s first Small Modular Reactor designs, potentially capable of deployment in the UK in the early 2030s. In the Net Zero Strategy, the Government also announced up to £120 million for a Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to provide targeted support to address barriers to entry. This fund will be part of the measures the Government will take to inform investment decisions during the next Parliament on further nuclear projects, alongside a final investment decision from this Parliament on a further Gigawatt-scale project.

Nuclear Power Stations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to develop new nuclear power stations.

Greg Hands: This Government is committed to nuclear power as part of the country’s future diverse energy mix. Hinkley Point C is under construction and, when operational, will supply 3.2GW of secure, low carbon electricity for around 60 years, providing enough power for around 6 million homes. The Government is committed to approving at least one new large-scale nuclear project this Parliament, subject to value for money and all relevant approvals. The Government announced up to £1.7 billion of funding in the last Spending Review to support this objective and have been in constructive negotiations on the Sizewell C project since January 2021. On 27th January, the Government entered into a Combined Option agreement with EDF, providing £100 million of funding to further mature the project, attract investors, and advance to the next phase in the negotiations. The Government has also announced a £385 million Advanced Nuclear Fund. From this, £210 million has been committed in grant funding to Rolls-Royce SMR to develop their small modular reactor design and their continued advanced modular reactor development. The Government also announced a new £120 million Nuclear Enabling Fund to provide targeted support to address barriers to entry for future nuclear. Further details on the fund will be announced in due course. Later this year, the Government will publish a nuclear roadmap setting out the Government’s strategy in more detail. The Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill is currently in Parliament. This will introduce a Regulated Asset Base model for nuclear projects and reduce the obstacles to financing new nuclear projects.

Electricity: Carbon Emissions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK has sufficient reliable low carbon electricity to achieve net zero.

Greg Hands: The Net Zero Strategy sets out the Government’s plan for decarbonizing the power sector consistent with its net zero commitments, while ensuring a secure, resilient and affordable supply of electricity. This includes ambitious plans to support the deployment of low carbon and renewable technologies such as offshore wind, nuclear and power CCUS. Energy policy is primarily a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and decisions surrounding the design of, or amendment to, policies that are likely to have an impact on its electricity markets are therefore led by the Northern Ireland Executive. Further details are set out in the Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/net-zero-strategy.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effects of increasing wind penetration in the electricity system on the capacity factor of gas-fired power stations.

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessments he has made of the effects of a reduced capacity factor on the levelised cost of gas-fired power stations.

Greg Hands: Whilst unabated gas generation currently plays a key role in keeping Great Britain’s electricity system stable and secure (with around 34 GW of capacity currently installed on the system), the development of clean flexible technologies means it will be used less frequently in the future. The Government is actively developing policies to bring forward low carbon flexible technologies and to ensure that unabated gas capacity has clear decarbonisation pathways. Achieving the UK's ambitious 2050 net zero target will require significant increases in renewable electricity generation and Great Britain’s exposure to volatile global gas prices underscores the importance of the Government’s plan to build a robust domestic renewable and resilient energy sector to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

Energy: Meters

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that households on pay as you go meter tariffs will receive the £200 energy bill discount.

Greg Hands: The Government is developing this policy with key industry and consumer stakeholders to ensure it can be delivered in a convenient way for customers and can get the benefit to eligible households, including those on pre-payment meters. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will consult on the scheme in the spring.

Energy: Prices

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer to Question 129263 on Energy: Prices, for what reason there is not a moratorium on fracking for oil.

Greg Hands: The Government is not aware of any applications for hydraulic fracturing for oil. While the 2019 Written Ministerial Statement setting out the Government’s effective moratorium on hydraulic fracturing refers to shale gas, the definition of hydraulic fracturing used is as set out in the Petroleum Act 1998. This definition does not differentiate between gas or oil and therefore applies to both. This statement makes clear that on the basis of current scientific evidence, the Government will take a presumption against issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents, which are required before hydraulic fracturing operations can take place. Future applications for Hydraulic Fracturing Consents, whether for oil or gas, will be considered on their own merits but industry should consider the position taken in relation to shale gas when considering any new developments.

Energy Intensive Industries

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help (a) the UK glass industry and (b) other energy-intensive industries meet the challenges of rising wholesale energy costs.

Greg Hands: The Government recognises this is a worrying time for businesses facing pressures due to the significant increases in global gas prices and its impact on electricity and carbon prices. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met representatives of the UK’s high energy-using sectors including the glass industry in the past months in order to understand the impact on their business, and extensive engagement with industry continues across government at both a ministerial and official level. The Government’s priorities are to ensure costs can be managed and supplies of energy are maintained. Many high energy-using businesses will have hedging strategies in place which help to shield them from exposure to the gas and electricity price rises, while some may be more reliant on current market prices. To help ensure our economy remains strong and competitive, between 2013 and 2020, total relief to energy intensive industries for electricity policy costs of over £2billion was provided. This helped over 250 businesses across the UK, including 12 glass companies. In 2020 alone, the Government provided relief to Employment Investment Initiatives for electricity policy costs worth over £470million. In 2018, the Government announced £315 million of funding for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which will support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills until 2024.

Wind Power: Contracts

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the report titled Auctions for allocation of offshore wind contracts for difference in the UK, published in February 2019, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding by Oxford Institute for Energy Studies that auction strike prices are unlikely to be indicative of underlying costs for renewable generators.

Greg Hands: The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme operates as a competitive auction where the strike price successful participants receive is based on the clearing price, which is a product of bid prices. It is for developers to consider a bid price that is sustainable for their project, based on their own, forward-looking assessment of their likely project costs and revenues, and projects are only paid for the electricity they generate. The Department publishes its own view of future electricity generation costs by technology – the latest version is from 2020, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beis-electricity-generation-costs-2020.

Fracking

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has he made of the relative seismicity of geothermal energy extraction and shale gas extraction through fracking.

Greg Hands: A 2012 Written Ministerial Statement outlined new requirements on fracking to mitigate the risks of seismic activity – the ‘traffic light system’. This statement acknowledged that the trigger levels set in this system were cautious and exceeded the control protocols in place for other industries such as geothermal energy, construction and quarrying. However, it was made clear that the reasons for this approach were specific and appropriate to the context of the nascent shale gas sector. It noted that trigger levels could be adjusted upwards as experience of fracking operations developed. Following a seismic event of magnitude 2.9 at Preston New Road in 2019, the Government took a presumption against issuing further hydraulic fracturing consents. Seismic events induced by fracking had proved to be unpredictable in size, timing and frequency. It remains the Government’s policy to be guided by the evidence and to minimise disturbance to those living and working nearby, and to prevent the risk of damage.

Wind Power and Electricity Generation

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effects of increasing wind penetration in the electricity system on market prices.

Greg Hands: Achieving the UK's ambitious 2050 net zero target will require significant increases in renewable electricity generation. As more renewables, including wind, are added to the system, wholesale prices will be less affected by fluctuations in volatile global gas prices.

Energy: Security

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK’s energy security.

Greg Hands: Energy security is an absolute priority for the Government. Great Britain benefits from highly diverse and flexible sources of gas supply and a diverse electricity mix, which ensures that households, businesses and industry get the energy they need. In Northern Ireland, electricity is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive, and Northern Ireland’s electricity network is part of the island of Ireland’s Single Electricity Market. The Capacity Market is the Government's main security of electricity supply mechanism. Through a competitive auction process, it has already secured the majority of Great Britain's electricity capacity needs out to 2025/26. The Government continues to work closely with key international and industry partners to monitor gas supply and demand, and remains confident that Great Britain’s energy security will be maintained.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Social Media

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much his Department spent in total on social media advertising in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 as of 28 February 2022; and on which platforms that money was spent.

George Freeman: Social media advertising spend by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is included in marketing spend data published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-spend-control-data.

Innovation: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the role of innovation accelerators is; and how these differ from existing catapults to support the commercial application of research.

George Freeman: Innovation Accelerators are a new pilot approach to supporting three UK city regions to become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation. They will be locally led partnerships involving leaders in local government, business and R&D institutions, working with national Government and R&D funders. The partnerships will develop plans to accelerate innovation-led growth in their city regions, building on local strengths and opportunities. They will receive dedicated support from the UK Government and will have access to a new £100m fund to support transformational R&D projects that grow R&D strengths, attract private investment, boost innovation diffusion, and maximise the combined economic impact of R&D institutions. Catapults may be a part of Innovation Accelerators but are sector specific, designed to support innovation and de-risk the transition from research to commercial delivery for small, medium and large businesses. They achieve this through the provision of R&D infrastructure, specialist knowledge and expertise, partnership and collaboration building capabilities and business support.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

George Freeman: The table below shows the Department’s 21-22 spending programmes, which it devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies. Budgets for future years have not yet been agreed. PROGRAMME (£m)BUDGET21-22   Growth HubsRDEL12.0Local Enterprise PartnershipsRDEL10.0Made SmarterRDEL8.0Manchester EarnbackRDEL10.0Peer NetworksRDEL9.0Business BasicsRDEL3.0Local Net Zero HubsRDEL7.2Green Homes Grant - Local Authority DeliveryCDEL280.4Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG)CDEL152.2HNDU pipeline and related expenditureRDEL6.1Heat Networks Transformation ProgrammeCDEL117.7Heat Networks Efficiency Scheme (HNES)RDEL1.6Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF)CDEL178.5

Horizon Europe

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support researchers whose funding offers have been revoked due to delays in EU approval of UK participation in Horizon Europe.

George Freeman: The UK stands ready to formalise our association to EU programmes at the earliest opportunity, but disappointingly there have been persistent delays from the EU. In order to provide reassurance, the Government has already committed to support the first wave of successful UK applicants to Horizon Europe who are unable to sign grant agreements with the EU due to these delays. This guarantee, delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will enable awardees to receive the full value of their funding. The Government will monitor the situation closely and is keeping all measures, including the guarantee, under constant review. We encourage the UK sector to continue applying to Horizon Europe calls and to continue forming consortia. Further information on how to apply and technical guidance is on the UKRI website.

Nuclear Fusion

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s budget in 2021-2022 has been allocated to nuclear fusion.

George Freeman: In this financial year almost 95% of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s £216m budget was for fusion projects and programmes. This includes fusion enabling technologies such as robotics, as well as the infrastructure and facilities. The remainder was allocated to the Shareholder Programme Agreement, which pays for historical legal commitments relating to the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s predecessor bodies, or improving accessibility to apprenticeships.

Cybercrime

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the risk of cyber attacks to (a) automotive and (b) other businesses based in the UK.

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help protect (a) automotive and (b) other businesses based in the UK from cyber-attacks.

Lee Rowley: The Department works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on cyber risks to all business sectors, including the automotive sector. The NCSC regularly publishes threat updates and a wide range of actionable guidance and tools for businesses on its website; their most recent being guidance for UK organisations in respect of cyber threats and the current situation in Ukraine. The NCSC, along with my department, works closely with trade bodies and industry partnerships as a trusted route to providing best practice and practical advice to businesses. In December 2021 the Government published its National Cyber Strategy, which contains more information on the breadth of cyber security actions being taken by Government. The annual Cyber Security Breaches Survey also sets out details of the cyber threat to businesses and what firms are doing in response.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Government

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to progress the election of a (a) First and (b) deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Conor Burns: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland continues to speak to a range of stakeholders, including the Northern Ireland party leaders, the Irish Government and Cabinet colleagues, to reiterate the need for stable, devolved government in Northern Ireland. The Government is united around the ambition for a strong functioning Northern Ireland Executive delivering a more prosperous, shared future for Northern Ireland. The people of Northern Ireland are going to the polls on Thursday 5 May to choose their local political representatives. It is vital that we give people the space to make that choice in an atmosphere of tolerance and respect.

Department of Health and Social Care

Genito-urinary Medicine: Females

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to update the Clinical Practice Guidance for the Assessment of Young Women aged 20-24 with Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding from 2010.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of ending the provision of free covid-19 lateral flow device tests for residential care home visitors.

Gillian Keegan: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Finance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to provide additional financial support to tackle pressures in dentistry in areas with high levels of population growth.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Procurement

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of existing dentistry procurement rules on dental practices’ ability to change commissioning arrangements.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: South Yorkshire

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of patients access to dental services in (a) the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council area, (b) the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority area and (c) England.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Long Covid: Research

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) name and (b) proportion of the £50 million funding for research into long-covid of each study that will be supported by that funding.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Carers: Coronavirus

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost of removing free covid-19 lateral flow device tests on unpaid carers.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Services: Coronavirus

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost of removing free covid-19 lateral flow device tests for care providers and their staff.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Midwives

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure continuity in NHS midwifery care.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on free covid-19 testing in January 2022, broken down by test type.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Quarantine

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of removing the requirement for self-isolation for people with a positive covid-19 diagnosis on the health of people with long-term conditions at a high risk from covid-19.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on free lateral flow tests in January 2022.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment the Government has made of the proposals set out in the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19 on people who are immunocompromised.

Edward Argar: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the monthly cost of covid-19 lateral flow device testing for a person visiting a care home resident on a daily basis once mass free testing has ended.

Maggie Throup: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Screening

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing free lateral flow covid-19 tests for people visiting care home residents after 1 April 2022.

Gillian Keegan: Testing for visitors to care homes should continue in line with the wider care home testing regime. The regular asymptomatic testing regimes from 1 April 2022 are currently under review, including for visitors to care homes. Further detail on future testing in adult social care testing will be provided in due course.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of existing covid-19 regulations at reducing (i) infection and (ii) hospitalisation rates and (b) whether the maintenance of those regulations will sustain a trend in a reduction in infections and hospitalisations.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of maintaining the current level of covid-19 restrictions for levels of covid-19 (a) infection, (b) hospitalisation and (c) mortality.

Maggie Throup: On 21 February 2022, the Government published its Living with COVID-19 strategy.Given the success of the response to the pandemic, the Government has assessed that England is now in a position to move beyond the Plan A approach outlined in the Autumn and Winter Plan and take the next steps in living with the virus. Though case numbers are high, infections are falling as indicated by both Office for National Statistics and reported case data. Evidence also indicates that the link between COVID-19 infections and progression to severe disease and admissions to hospital is substantially weaker than in earlier phases of the pandemic. Living with and managing the virus will mean maintaining the population's wall of protection and communicating safer behaviours that the public can follow to manage risk. The Government is retaining free universal testing for the general public until 31 March and people will continue to be advised that there are safer behaviours they can adopt to reduce the risk of infection. It may take several years before the threat of new dangerous variants subsides and the virus becomes more predictable. The Government’s aim is to manage and respond to these risks through more routine public health interventions and by building health resilience to cope with pressure points such as seasonal pressure on the National Health Service during winter. The Government will maintain adequate contingency plans given the ongoing risks and uncertainty faced. The Government will retain surveillance to monitor the virus enabling the Government to make informed decisions and respond accordingly. The Government will prepare and maintain the capabilities to ramp up testing in the case of a new variant.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures he has put in place to prevent an outbreak of a new covid-19 variant.

Maggie Throup: Since the beginning of the pandemic, the United Kingdom has increased its surveillance and detection capabilities, working closely with international partners, to identify and assess variants more quickly.In the ‘Living with COVID-19’ plan, the Government has set out that it is taking steps to ensure there are plans in place to maintain resilience against significant resurgences or future variants and remain ready to act if a dangerous variant risks placing unsustainable pressure on the National Health Service.If a new variant is detected by surveillance systems, a risk assessment will be conducted to establish its severity, which in turn will inform the level of response necessary. To ensure we are fully prepared for any scenario, the UK Health Security Agency has maintained the range of capabilities we would need to consider deploying if we have to scale polymerase chain reaction or lateral flow device testing in response to a variant.

Nutrition

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to ensure that Government support for healthy eating focuses on a balanced diet rather than reduction of negative nutrients.

Maggie Throup: The United Kingdom’s healthy eating food model, the Eatwell Guide, shows the overall dietary pattern and the proportions of food and drink which contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.The Eatwell Guide is promoted through platforms such as NHS.UK and social marketing campaigns. The Government’s reduction and reformulation programme challenges industry to make products healthier by lowering the amount of sugar, salt and calories to allow consumers to choose healthier food and drink.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of offering covid-19 antiviral treatments as a pre-exposure prophylaxis to people classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.

Maggie Throup: The RAPID C-19 collaboration has enabled multi-agency oversight of national and international trial evidence as it emerges for COVID-19 therapies for potential treatment and prophylactic indications. To date, the evidence has strongly supported treatment use, although the evidence on prophylactic use will be kept under review.As part of the PANORAMIC national study, there will be a post-exposure prophylaxis sub-study which is expected to begin later in spring. This will investigate the effect of prescribing oral antivirals to those who are a household contact of a COVID-19 positive individual. In addition, the PROTECT-V study is trialling sotrovimab and niclosamide as prophylactic drugs administered over a six-month period in vulnerable renal and immunosuppressed patients.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide people with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19 with access to free tests for their asymptomatic immediate family members and carers beyond 1 April 2022.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details of eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to review the impact of this policy on those with motor neurone disease, underlying health conditions and their close contacts.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a process for acquiring free covid-19 tests from 1 April 2022.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there will be a limit on the number of free covid-19 tests that eligible people can receive from 1 April 2022.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups and any limits on the number of free tests will be made available in due course.

Oral Tobacco: Health Hazards

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications of his policies of the findings of the Research Report entitled Estimating the Harms of Nicotine-Containing Products Using the MCDA , by Professor David Nutt and others, published in European Addiction Research, ref 20:218-225, that using snus causes only 5 percent of the harm of smoking cigarettes.

Maggie Throup: No formal assessment has been made.

Abortion: Census

Carla Lockhart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of analysis of data conducted by The Independent newspaper in 2014 suggesting that between 1,400 and 4,700 girls are missing from the national census records of England and Wales due to the selective abortion of female foetuses.

Carla Lockhart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of potential negative effects on women and girls of sex-selection abortion in the UK.

Maggie Throup: Since reports emerged in 2014 on concerns about sex ratios at birth in the United Kingdom, the Department has published an annual analysis. The latest analysis was published in October 2021 and found no evidence for sex selective abortions occurring in the UK between 2015 and 2019. In this period, there were 105.5 male to 100 female births, which is below the accepted upper limit of 107. Whilst this data shows that sex selection abortions are having no impact on birth ratios, we will continue to work with abortion providers to monitor this issue.

Abortion: Scotland

Carla Lockhart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government’s decision to re-instate the pre-covid-19 outbreak abortion policy, whether Ministers in his Department has had discussions with their Scottish counterparts on the Scottish Government’s progress on ending the temporary emergency at-home abortion policy in Scotland.

Maggie Throup: Officials have regular meetings with Scottish counterparts to discuss abortion policy.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the spring booster vaccine is not being offered to people under the age of 75 with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from covid-19.

Maggie Throup: On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on offering a further dose to individuals as part of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme. The primary aim of the programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease. As protection against severe COVID-19 disease appears to decline slowly, the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised for vaccination.The programme targets the oldest age groups and those who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19. A dose will be offered to those over the age of 75 years old, residents in care homes for older adults and the immunosuppressed. The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data in relation to the timing and value of further doses.

Smoking

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how (a) Members of Parliament and (b) the public can engage and contribute to his proposed review on smoking led by Javed Khan.

Maggie Throup: The Independent Review into Tobacco Control, led by Javed Khan OBE, is engaging with a range of stakeholders, including members of the public and Parliamentarians. Hon. Members and the public can contact the secretariat of the Independent Review on tobacco control at TobaccoIndependentReview@dhsc.gov.uk.

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19, published on 21 February 2022, how an immunocompromised person who tests positive for covid-19 can access treatments that may help them to avoid serious illness and hospitalisation.

Maggie Throup: A range of new treatment options have been made available to non-hospitalised patients at higher risk from COVID-19 to reduce severe disease, hospitalisation and death. Patients who receive a positive test can access treatments through COVID Medicines Delivery Units (CMDUs). Treatments include the oral antivirals molnupiravir and PF-07321332+ritonavir, the antiviral infusion Remdesevir and the monoclonal antibody treatment sotrovimab.A clinician will contact eligible patients to assess whether these treatments are appropriate. If prescribed sotrovimab or Remdesivir, the patient will be required to attend a CMDU for an infusion. If prescribed an antiviral, this could be collected or delivered to the patient’s home.From 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

Abortion: Domestic Abuse

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential relationship between domestic abuse and at-home abortion.

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent correspondence he has had with domestic abuse charities on the use of at-home abortion in cases of domestic abuse.

Maggie Throup: During the Government’s consultation on the temporary approval which allowed home use of early medical abortion, we assessed evidence from the responses received, including from domestic abuse charities.We will work with those in the violence against women and girls sector and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to monitor the impact as face to face services return from August 2022.

Coronavirus: Preventive Medicine

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing preventative covid-19 treatments to patients who are being treated with immunoglobulin replacement therapy.

Maggie Throup: The RAPID C-19 collaboration reviews all promising compounds to assess the potential use in the National Health Service. To date, the evidence has supported treatment rather than prophylaxis. The evidence around preventative use will continue to be reviewed for efficacy and safety.A list of clinically eligible patient cohorts most likely to develop severe COVID-19 infection was determined through a risk stratification process by an independent expert group commissioned by the Department. These cohorts form part of an evidence based clinical policy for the treatment of COVID-19 by the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officers. Patients are treated with an antiviral or monoclonal antibody treatment based on a clinical assessment, accounting for eligibility criteria and specific exclusion criteria outlined in the clinical policy.

Coronavirus: Screening

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19, published on 23 February 2022, whether the 1.3 million people in receipt of covid-19 treatments will be able to access free-of-charge asymptomatic covid-19 tests from 1 April 2022.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England will end. However, limited symptomatic testing will be available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

Coronavirus

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued for people who test positive for covid-19 using a lateral flow test within 90 days of receiving a previous positive test; and whether that guidance has been updated in the context of scientific research that suggests that a person can contract the delta variant and then be reinfected with the omicron variant within 90 days.

Maggie Throup: Updated guidance was issued on 24 February 2022, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contactsThose with any of the main symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. Positive lateral flow device tests within 90 days of a previous infection can be indicative of a possible reinfection, including with the Omicron variant. Those who have previously received a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result, are advised not to take another PCR test within 90 days of this result, unless they develop new symptoms of COVID-19. It is possible for PCR tests to remain positive for some time after the period of active COVID-19 infection.

Coronavirus: Screening

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of suspending the provision of free covid-19 lateral flow tests.

Maggie Throup: There are regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues relating to the response to COVID-19. As announced on 21 February, from 1 April 2022, free access to asymptomatic and symptomatic tests for the public in England will end. We will continue to make testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course.

NHS and Social Services: Coronavirus

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his latest estimate is of the number of people in the (a) NHS and (b) social care sector who risk being dismissed as a result of being unvaccinated against covid-19.

Edward Argar: After public consultation and following consideration of the latest clinical evidence on the Omicron variant, the Government has decided to revoke the regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment in health and care settings.

Special Educational Needs

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to raise awareness and understanding of pathological demand avoidance among health care professionals.

Gillian Keegan: Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is a term used to describe complex or extreme behaviours seen in some autistic people and professional consensus on its status is still required. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guideline ‘Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis’ recommends that during autism assessments, healthcare workers should consider PDA and make any appropriate referrals. The national autism strategy, published on 21 July 2021, aims to raise understanding of autism amongst health care professionals. We are developing and trialling the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in learning disability and autism, to ensure health and social care staff have the skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care.

Medical Technologies Directorate: Life Sciences

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2021 to Question 92932, what plans his Department has to ensure the Medical Technology Directorate supports progress on the Precondition for Success, set out in the Life Sciences Vision, to position the NHS as an Innovation Partner.

Gillian Keegan: The forthcoming MedTech strategy will focus on product evaluation, demand signalling and work to improve pathways to market to improve collaboration between industry and the National Health Service, supporting this precondition to success. Details on its implementation will follow in due course.

Care Workers: Pay

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Skills for Care's report, The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England 2021, what steps he is taking to ensure that care workers are paid a fair rate following the finding in that report that workers at the Care Quality Commission’s lowest scoring care establishments had a lower average rate of pay than those with the highest scores.

Gillian Keegan: The vast majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers who ultimately set their pay and conditions independent of central Government. Local authorities work with care providers to determine a fair rate of pay based on local market conditions.An increase in the rate of the National Living Wage will mean many of the lowest paid care workers will benefit from a 6.6% pay rise effective from 1 April 2022. The Government is providing a sustainable local government settlement, designed to ensure key pressures in the system are met, including the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.

Health Professions: Training

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken since the publication of the Women’s Health Strategy, to ensure that all healthcare professionals undertake training on domestic abuse delivered by specialist organisations to ensure trauma-informed practices.

Gillian Keegan: The Department is currently formulating the details of the Women’s Health Strategy in England. The Strategy will be published later this year. NHS England are collaborating with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Domestic Abuse peer advocacy services and national helplines to direct National Health Service staff to existing specialised training.All NHS staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training which includes a focus on domestic abuse. NHS England and NHS Improvement and Health Education England continue to review mandatory safeguarding training for all health professionals to ensure that they are fully equipped with the appropriate key skills, knowledge and principles.

Diagnosis: Waiting Lists

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the size of the waiting list for diagnostics tests in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Argar: The most recent data available shows that at the end of December 2021, there were 1,445,000 patients waiting for a diagnostic test. The number of patients waiting six weeks or more from referral for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests at the end of December 2021 was 419,300. This was 29% of the total number of patients waiting at the end of the month.

Diagnosis: Waiting Lists

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to tackle the backlog in NHS diagnostics tests.

Edward Argar: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ sets out how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services in the next three years. The plan aims that by March 2025, 95% of patients needing a diagnostic test will receive it within six weeks.We have also announced a £2.3 billion investment for diagnostics, which will increase the number of community diagnostic centres (CDCs) up to 160 by March 2025. This is in addition to £325 million provided in 2021/22 for over 40 CDCs. This will increase diagnostic capacity, supporting faster, earlier diagnosis and reduced waiting times for better patient outcomes. CDCs have already delivered over 550,000 additional tests and scans, with around nine million more procedures anticipated by 2025.

Community Diagnostic Centres

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a list of the diagnostic tests that will be delivered by his proposed community diagnostic centres.

Edward Argar: Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) will deliver a range of core diagnostic services in imaging, physiological measurement, pathology and, in larger CDCs, endoscopy services. It is likely that as a minimum, the following tests will be provided:- Computed tomography;- Magnetic resonance imaging;- Ultrasound;- X-Ray;- Phlebotomy;- Point of Care Testing;- Simple biopsies;- NT-Pro BNP;- Urine testing;- D-dimer testing;- Echocardiography;- Electrocardiogram;- Heart rhythm monitoring;- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring;- Oximetry;- Spirometry; and- Simple field tests.Larger CDCs will also offer endoscopy services, including gastroscopy, colonoscopy, flexi sigmoidoscopy and possibly further tests as required by local population need.

Surgery: Waiting Lists

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral statement of 8 February 2022 on Elective Treatment, when he plans to announce further details on the incentives and funding for tackling the elective backlog.

Edward Argar: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ was published on 8 February 2022. To support the plan, we will make an additional £8 billion available from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to enable more checks, scans, outpatient appointments, operations and other procedures. This is in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund available to systems for elective activity.Funding for the recovery of elective services will be allocated to local areas. Provider activity plans will be funded as per the aligned payment and incentive approach, with payment linked to the actual level of activity delivered. Further details on payment mechanisms will provided with the planning guidance for local systems in due course.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2021 to Question 80403 on Hospitals: Infectious Diseases, whether a national manual for infection prevention by NHS England is scheduled to be published in March 2022.

Edward Argar: Publication of the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England is expected by the end of March 2022.

Health Services: Resignations

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish all Departmental documents, evidence and research in relation to NHS staff who have already left their positions as a result of the Government’s mandatory covid-19 vaccination policy, prior to recent changes to that policy.

Edward Argar: NHS Digital publishes quarterly statistics on the reason National Health Service (NHS) trust staff left their roles, however, the reported reasons for leaving do not include a category related to COVID-19 vaccination. The most recently published data covers the second quarter of 2021/2022 and can be found at the following link:https://files.digital.nhs.uk/27/2BF87D/NHS%20Workforce%20Statistics%2C%20September%202021%20Reasons%20for%20Leaving.xlsx.The Department published an Impact Assessment (IA) relating to vaccination as a condition of deployment in health and wider social care settings. This estimated that 73,000 workers would remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 at the end of the 12-week grace period who are not otherwise medically exempt. The IA is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1039988/making-vaccination-a-condition-of-deployment-in-the-health-and-wider-social-care-sector-impact-assessment.pdf.The latest NHS England data (published on 3 March) shows there are now more vaccinated NHS trust healthcare workers (1.48 million with at least one dose) than there were total NHS trust healthcare workers when the consultation on vaccination requirements in the health and wider social care sector was launched in early September 2021 (1.43 million).

Department of Health and Social Care: Social Media

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in his Department are managing ministerial social media accounts as (a) their primary responsibility and (b) part of their role as of 21 February 2022.

Edward Argar: The information is not held in the format requested. In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.The Department employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this facilitates wider engagement from the public. Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Department’s Communications Directorate staffing budget.

Department of Health and Social Care: Social Media

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on producing social media videos and graphics for use on ministerial social media accounts since January 2020.

Edward Argar: The information is not held in the format requested. In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.The Department employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this facilitates wider engagement from the public.Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Department’s Communications Directorate staffing budget.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the availability of Hormone Replacement Therapies for the menopause (a) privately and (b) on the NHS; and what plans his Department has to ensure that NHS patients have access to the most recent innovations in treatment.

Edward Argar: The Department is aware of supply issues affecting a limited number of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products. However, most products including alternatives to those experiencing supply issues, remain available. We are working with all suppliers of HRT medicines to maintain overall supply to patients in the United Kingdom and share regular updates with the National Health Service and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline on the diagnosis and management of menopause includes recommendations on the use of HRT and is currently being updated. It is for clinicians to take decisions on the prescribing of HRT if appropriate, in discussion with patients and taking account of NICE guidance.

Community Diagnostic Centres

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the proposed locations for NHS community diagnostics centres.

Edward Argar: In 2021/22, we have provided £325 million to support the launch of over 40 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) by the end of March 2022. A list of the locations is attached. This also includes 36 early adopter sites which are currently providing additional diagnostic capacity to support the recovery of elective services.We have committed £2.3 billion to open up to 160 CDCs by March 2025. Regions are working with integrated care systems, diagnostic networks and primary care services to determine the location and configuration of services for the next cohort, based on the needs of the local population.TABLE (docx, 25.2KB)

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn: Repairs and Maintenance

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of steel and timber support beams currently installed in the Queen Elizabeth hospital in King's Lynn to respond to Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete plank issues.

Edward Argar: National Health Service organisations are responsible for maintaining estates. However, we have provided a £110 million ring-fenced allocation to address the most serious and immediate risks posed by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn has employed structural surveyors to assess the condition of its affected infrastructure and has received over £20 million to undertake the recommended mitigation measures. This is regularly re-assessed and will be supported by funding secured at the Spending Review 2021.

DNACPR Decisions: Darlington

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure that all DNR notices put in place during the pandemic in Darlington have now been removed.

Maria Caulfield: The Department does not hold information on individual Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions at specific National Health Service trusts. Concerns about individual DNACPR decisions should be raised with the health or care provider involved in the first instance.The Care Quality Commission continues to ensure providers understand their responsibilities should allegations of inappropriate application of DNACPR decisions be made, as well as raise cases with the relevant bodies as appropriate.

General Practitioners: Finance

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to increase funding for general practice; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: A five-year framework for GP contract reform to implement The NHS Long Term Plan, published in 2019, provided an additional investment of £4.5 billion in primary medical and community care by 2023/24. In February 2020, committed at least a further £1.5 billion in cash terms for general practice until 2023/24 for additional staff.

Dental Services: Contracts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of legacy arrangements for dental services arising from contracts passing from primary care trusts to NHS England.

Maria Caulfield: National Health Service dental contracts transferred from primary care trusts to NHS England in 2013 continue to operate under the current General Dental Services and Personal Dental Services contracts. Contractual variations and regulatory amendments have been updated within the contracts to ensure that they provide the same level of service and safety to patients as any newly commissioned contract.

General Practitioners: Finance

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase core funding for general practice.

Maria Caulfield: ‘A five-year framework for GP contract reform to implement The NHS Long Term Plan’, published in 2019, implements the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan supported by an additional investment of £4.5 billion in primary medical and community care by 2023/24. In February 2020, we committed at least a further £1.5 billion in cash terms for general practice until 2023/24 for additional staff.

Dental Services: Contracts

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to review the Primary Care National Contract for Dentistry to increase its flexibility for (a) the commissioner (b) the provider.

Maria Caulfield: We are currently negotiating with the British Dental Association on a number of initial proposed changes to the National Health Service contract for dental services, aimed at supporting the commissioning and delivery of NHS dentistry in the short term. We expect to be able to announce the outcome of these negotiations shortly and will set out an implementation timetable when negotiations conclude. The development of further proposed changes in the long term will be progressed over the summer and autumn of 2022.

Diabetes: Screening

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide HbA1c tests in primary care.

Maria Caulfield: HbA1c testing is routinely available through primary care.

HIV Infection: Screening

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take in 2022 to assess the reasons for varied rates of (i) uptake and (ii) offer of HIV testing in sexual health clinics across England.

Maggie Throup: The monitoring and evaluation framework for the HIV Action Plan in England is currently being developed and will be published later in 2022. The Plan will assess the reasons for variation in the HIV testing offer and uptake across sexual health clinics in England. Details of this assessment will be included as part of the monitoring and evaluation framework.The UK Health Security Agency continues to monitor and publish data on the test offer and uptake within specialist sexual health services at national and local level, including inequalities in different population groups.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish recent advice provided to him by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the next stage of the covid-19 protection strategy in the context of the efficacy depletion rate in protection from vaccines against the Omicron variant.

Maggie Throup: On 7 January 2022, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published its advice in a statement on the adult COVID-19 booster vaccination programme and the Omicron variant. The JCVI advised that the priority for the booster programme remains increasing the coverage of the first booster dose across the adult population, particularly in older adults and those in clinical risk groups. This advice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jcvi-statement-on-the-adult-covid-19-booster-vaccination-programme-and-the-omicron-variant/jcvi-statement-on-the-adult-covid-19-booster-vaccination-programme-and-the-omicron-variant-7-january-2022The advice was based on evidence that vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation continues to be highly effective at approximately 90% at 10 weeks after one booster dose in those aged 65 years old and older. In addition, it is important that unvaccinated individuals, especially vulnerable adults, receive a primary course of vaccination, irrespective of whether individuals have had previous infection. The JCVI will continue its review of the booster vaccination programme and the timing and value of any second booster doses for the most vulnerable.

Coronavirus: Australia

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Australian government's response to covid-19.

Gillian Keegan: In April 2020, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Cabinet Office established the International Comparators Joint Unit to maximise the Government’s ability to learn from other countries on COVID-19. The Unit uses updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s network and open-source data to produce analysis on international responses, including Australia, to inform the Government’s decision-making.

Social Services: Waiting Lists

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people waiting for social care.

Gillian Keegan: No such estimate has been made as this information is not held centrally. Local authorities have a duty to meet the eligible care needs of their local populations.

Coronavirus: Preventive Medicine

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing monoclonal antibodies to prevent covid-19 in adults and children over 12 who have primary and secondary antibody deficiency and who may not produce an adequate response to covid vaccines or for those in whom vaccination is not recommended.

Maggie Throup: The RAPID C-19 collaboration reviews all promising compounds to assess whether these should be considered for potential use in the National Health Service. Currently, the evidence has most strongly supported treatment rather than prophylaxis. The evidence around preventative use will continue to be reviewed for efficacy and safety.The Department commissioned an independent expert group to determine a list of clinically eligible patient cohorts most likely to progress towards developing severe COVID-19. These cohorts form part of an evidence based clinical policy for the treatment of COVID-19, agreed by the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers. The treatments available include the monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab, as well as antiviral treatments.

Evusheld

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the MHRA on approving the antibody treatment Evusheld.

Maggie Throup: We have had no specific discussions. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s regulatory processes are independent of the Department. However, it would be expected that AstraZeneca would discuss regulatory approvals for its products with the MHRA.Evusheld is not currently authorised for use in the United Kingdom. We will continue to monitor emerging data for the treatment. On 5 October 2021, the Department invited suppliers to submit expressions of interest for neutralising antibody treatments being developed for treating and preventing COVID-19. This will enable the Department to undertake fair and transparent market engagement with all suppliers.

Dental Services: Somerton and Frome

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that access to NHS dental care is easily accessible across Somerton and Frome.

Maria Caulfield: National Health Service dental practices, including those in Somerton and Frome, have been asked to meet as many prioritised needs as possible, focusing on urgent care and care for vulnerable groups, including children, followed by overdue appointments. We have made an additional £50 million available for the remainder of the 2021/22 financial year to allow more patients to obtain access to NHS dental care. Patients in Somerton and Frome can contact the Somerset Dental Helpline for access to urgent dental care appointments.The Department and NHS England are developing proposals for dental system reform, working stakeholders such as the British Dental Association. The reforms include proposals to improve patient access, reduce health inequalities and make the NHS a more attractive place to work for dentists.

Dental Services: Standards

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS dental practices in England are on course to meet their 85 per cent activity target for this quarter.

Maria Caulfield: This information is not currently available in the format requested. Dental contractors submit dental activity data within two months from the date of completion of a course of National Health Service treatment.

Epilepsy: Cannabis

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason only three NHS prescriptions for medical cannabis have been issued to children with severe intractable epilepsy since the law was changed in November 2018 to enable those prescriptions to be made in specialist cases.

Maria Caulfield: The licensed cannabis-based medicine Epidyolex is prescribed and routinely funded by the National Health Service for two rare forms of epilepsy - Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.Clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence demonstrate a need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions for unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. We continue to call on manufacturers to conduct this research and we are working with regulatory, research and NHS partners to establish clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of these products.

Dental Services: Finance

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many dental practices in England have applied for the £50 million emergency dental funding announced on 23 January 2022 by (a) English region, (b) local authority and (c) Parliamentary constituency.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the £50m emergency dental funding announced on 23 January 2022 he expects will be claimed by services in that sector.

Maria Caulfield: The information requested is not held centrally.

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of removing the provision of free lateral flow tests from people in close contact with individuals who are immunocompromised.

Maggie Throup: From 1 April 2022, free lateral flow testing for the general public in England will end. There will be some limited testing available for a small number of at-risk groups. Further details on eligible groups will be made available in due course. We will continue to keep the impact of these policies on those who are immunocompromised and their close contacts under review.

Wales Office

Economic Growth: Newport West

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on supporting economic growth in Newport West constituency.

Simon Hart: I have regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues on a range of matters, including economic growth. The UK Government closely monitors economic growth across the UK and has taken steps to support economic growth in Wales. The UK Government have provided £46 million through the UK Community Renewal Fund, of which Newport received £2.8 million. This included £850,000 for a ‘Foot in the Door’ programme aimed at improving access to pre-employment training activity for 300 beneficiaries in Newport and over £700,000 to the Welsh Institute of Digital Information to invest in its research and development centre at the University of South Wales Newport campus. Furthermore, the UK Government is investing £790 million in city and growth deals across Wales, with the Cardiff Capital Region, which includes Newport, receiving £500 million. These Growth Deals empower Wales’ regions to determine how best to drive jobs and growth in their areas, and to identify their own needs and strengths. The UK Government also recently published the Levelling Up White Paper that sets out our ambitions on levelling up across the UK, tackling regional and local inequalities so we can see growth, more jobs, and higher wages UK-wide. Wales remains front and centre in the UK Government’s plans to level up and have received £121 million through the first rounds of the Levelling Up Fund, in addition to £464,000 through the Community Ownership Fund. These funds will support vital transport improvements, invest in local skills, support local people into employment and regenerate town centres. All to drive local growth and invest for the people and communities most in need, across Wales. The UK Government is further supporting young people in Wales through the Kickstart programme, which provides fully funded six-month jobs for 16-24-year olds on Universal Credit, with 6,000 jobs already started in Wales. Sustainable jobs are integral to building back better and we are determined to level up every part of the UK.

United Kingdom

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent steps his Department has taken to help strengthen the Union.

Simon Hart: The UK Government is clear in our commitment to the Union as a successful partnership which brings tangible benefits to people across the United Kingdom. The resources of the UK Government play an important role in delivering these benefits, as highlighted by the record amounts of Barnett-based funding we are providing to the Welsh Government. Our response to the pandemic has demonstrated the strength and importance of the Union, with the UK Government working with the devolved administrations more closely and productively than ever. I meet with the First Ministers and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland in regular calls chaired by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and will continue to do so as we seek to work together on matters of common interest. My Department and I are fully focused on delivering jobs and economic growth in Wales, promoting levelling up and our transition to a net zero economy in doing so. The Government’s Plan for Wales sets out the UK Government’s commitments to Wales as we drive economic recovery from the pandemic.

Department for Education

Department for Education: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Michelle Donelan: The department’s annual report and accounts sets out the amount the department has spent in a given financial year. Section six (policy funding) of the latest report and accounts, covering the 2020/2021 financial year, details the department’s capital and revenue grants, this includes funding that goes to local authorities to distribute. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021.The largest elements of revenue funding the department pays directly to local authorities are through the dedicated schools grant (DSG). The published allocations show how much funding local authorities will receive for each of the four blocks of the DSG: the schools block, the central school services block, the high needs block, and the early years block. The latest publicly available allocations are for the 2022/23 financial year and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2022-to-2023.A large proportion of schools’ capital funding is delivered through annual allocations to local authorities and larger multi-academy trusts (MATs). This includes basic need funding to local authorities to meet their duty to ensure there are enough places for children in their areas and annual allocations to local authorities and MATs to maintain the condition of estates. The latest allocations for the 2021/22 financial year are available online here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding#funding-allocations-for-the-2021-to-2022-financial-year.The 2021 Spending Review agreed funding for the department for the next three years, with funding rising to over £86 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. As is common practice, when publishing allocations for individual grants these will show the recipients of funding.

Visual Impairment: Children and Young People

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support children and young people with vision impairment.

Will Quince: The Department for Education is firmly committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with visual impairments, receive the support they need to achieve in their early years, at school and at college.Local authorities in England are required to publish information on the support commissioned and provided for children and young people with a visual impairment in a local offer, and on the availability of specialist services. To ensure local needs are met, they must work with children, young people, and their families to develop this.It is a legal requirement for qualified teachers of classes of pupils who have sensory impairments to hold the relevant mandatory qualification. Providers must be approved by the Secretary of State for Education to offer these qualifications.High needs funding, which is specifically for supporting children with more complex SEND, including those with vision impairment, will be increasing by £1 billion in financial year 2022/23, bringing the overall total of funding for high needs to £9.1 billion. This unprecedented increase of 13% comes on top of the £1.5 billion increase over the last two years.The government recognises that the current SEND system, established through the Children and Families Act 2014, does not consistently deliver the outcomes we want and expect for children and young people with SEND, their families, or the people and services who support them. A key priority of the SEND Review is to improve the outcomes and experience of all children and young people with SEND, within a financially sustainable system. The review will be published as a green paper for full public consultation in the first 3 months of this year.

Child Minding: Coronavirus

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to change guidance so that child-minding professionals are able to use their judgment and chose to work if a member of their household tests positive for covid-19.

Will Quince: Keeping children and staff safe is the department’s utmost priority. Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have listened carefully to the latest scientific and medical advice when developing departmental guidance.On 24 February 2022, the government removed the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Public health guidance continues to advise adults and children who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days. They should then continue to follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days. The guidance also advises that people with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors at home. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts.This means that the guidance on managing positive cases for childminders has not changed. Childminders should not childmind in their home if someone in their household has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are close to the case for extended periods of time.Considering the changes to the legal requirement to self-isolate, the department has reviewed and updated the guidance with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In the guidance, the department has outlined options for childminders to continue childminding if someone has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 in their home. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.The department continues to work with the UKHSA to keep guidance under review and ensure that the right control measures are in place for childminders.

T-levels: Small Businesses

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help ensure that all SMEs are able to offer T-Level placements across the UK.

Alex Burghart: Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key to ensuring that industry placements are a successful component of T Levels, as they make up a large proportion of the employer landscape. Through the department’s employer engagement teams, we are engaging directly with employers of all sizes, including SMEs, to explain the benefits of T Levels and of industry hosting placements, and to help provide a strong pipeline of employers, across all sectors, that are ready to offer placements.We are providing an extensive programme of support to help ensure employers of all sizes can deliver placements. This includes a comprehensive employer support package, offering guidance, workshops, webinars, tailored advice, and hands-on support to help build employer confidence and capability in delivering high quality industry placements. We have also implemented several different delivery models to ensure placements can be delivered by employers of different sizes, across all industries and locations, and our T Level Ambassador Network is enabling employers, including SMEs, to engage with others in their industries on T Levels and placements. Finally, we have put in place a short-term incentive fund, offering employers £1,000 per industry placement, to encourage employer engagement during the COVID-19 outbreak. This has been warmly welcomed by SMEs.We will continue to monitor the delivery of placements and work closely with employers, including SMEs, to identify what support they will need going forward to deliver high-quality placements.

Social Workers: Children

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's statistics on children's social work workforce, published on 24 February 2022, what steps he plans to take in response to those statistics that demonstrate an increase in the shortage of children's social workers.

Will Quince: The number of full time equivalent (FTE) child and family social workers employed by local authorities in England is increasing every year. On the 30 of September 2021, there were 32,500 full FTE child and family social workers employed by local authorities in England. This is an increase of 2.0% compared to 2020, and an increase of 14.1% compared to 2017. While the department recognises that this may not be the picture some local authorities are seeing on the ground, the department is working closely with local authorities and using central programmes and funding to respond to their needs. The department is supporting the recruitment and retention of social workers through our investment in fast-track initial social worker training programmes, and in professional development programmes to improve leadership. We are also seeing some innovative practices from local authorities that are driving down agency rates and stabilising their workforces. Our COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan aims to stabilise and strengthen children’s social care as we transition out of the COVID-19 outbreak, so we deliver well for children and young people and provide a strong foundation for longer-term reform, informed by the Care Review.

Sex and Relationship Education

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure consistent and high-quality teaching on sexual health in schools across England.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure consistent and high-quality teaching on HIV in schools across England.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding his Department provides to train teachers and schools to help ensure they can deliver consistent, high quality sexual health education within relationship and sex education lessons.

Mr Robin Walker: The department wants to support all young people to lead happy, healthy and safe lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. That is why we made the Relationships Education (RE) (for primary school pupils), Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) (for secondary school pupils) and Health Education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) compulsory subjects from September 2020. In primary schools, age-appropriate RE includes supporting children to learn about what healthy relationships are and their importance, as well as how to develop mutually respectful relationships in all contexts, including online. This is intended to provide a foundation for RSE at secondary school. In secondary schools, RE broadens to become age-appropriate RSE and will include factual knowledge around sex, sexual health, and sexuality, set firmly within the context of relationships. The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance advises schools to be alive to issues such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and gender stereotypes, and to take positive action to tackle these issues. It should cover contraception, sexually transmitted infections, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex. We expect young people to learn what a positive, healthy relationship can look like, about consent and how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education. The statutory guidance is intended to help teachers deliver these subjects consistently to a high quality and with confidence. Pupils should learn about how all aspects of health can be affected by choices they make in sex and relationships, positively or negatively, such as physical, emotional, mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. The ‘Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ topic specifies that by the end of secondary school pupils should know how the different sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, are transmitted, how risk can be reduced through safer sex and the importance of and facts about testing. Pupils are also taught about HIV/AIDS at key stages 3 and 4 of the science curriculum. To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence we have produced RSHE teacher training modules, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. At the beginning of each module the school is encouraged to name the appropriate lead for the topic in school, any relevant policies, specialist support available locally and additional information. The department also funded the delivery of a train the trainer and peer support programme to schools from April 2020 to July 2021. The programme reached 4,800 schools. Schools are free to determine how they use the core funding allocated to them, including investing in RSHE training for teachers. To support schools specifically with the implementation of the RSHE curriculum, we invested over £3 million in an additional package of support for RSHE over three years (financial years 2019/20 to 2021/22) after consultation with teachers over their support needs.

Schools: Mental Health Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on providing additional child and adolescent mental health service support in schools.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that all young people receive mental health resilience support.

Will Quince: Ministers meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department of Health and Social Care to discuss a range of issues including specialist support for children and young people’s mental health. Both departments have a joint programme with NHS England to deliver the long-term commitments in the Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision Green Paper. These include introducing mental health support teams (MHSTs) linked to schools and colleges, incentivising all schools and colleges to identify and train a senior mental health lead, and testing approaches to faster access to specialist NHS mental health support. The government is also introducing new MHSTs in 20-25% of the country by 2022 and 35% of the country by 2023, funded and accountable through the NHS. This means that 399 MHSTs will be up and running, offering support to almost three million pupils, by 2023.The department has invested over £9.5 million to fund training for senior mental health leads in over 8,000 eligible schools and colleges, as part of our commitment to fund training for leads in all schools and colleges by 2025. We announced during Children’s Mental Health Week 2022 an additional £3 million to extend senior mental health leads training to more schools and colleges, meaning everyone eligible to access training before the end of May 2022 will be able to do so.In partnership with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, we have published a new edition of guidance on taking a whole school and college approach to mental wellbeing. To bring together information about the various mental health support offers and training available to schools and colleges, we have recently published a mental health information page which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges.Since September 2020, it has been compulsory for schools to teach relationships education (for primary school-aged pupils), relationships and sex education (for secondary school-aged pupils) and health education (for all pupils in state-funded schools). These new subjects support the wider work of schools in helping to foster pupil wellbeing as well as developing resilience. Importantly, young people will be taught how and when to ask for help, and where to access further support when needed.

Carbon Emissions

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on ensuring that local skills improvement plans contribute to delivery of national net zero targets.

Alex Burghart: The government takes the UK’s net zero target seriously. This is why we introduced an amendment to the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, ensuring that skills required for jobs that support compliance with the UK net zero emissions target are considered in the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans. The Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will continue to work closely together to ensure we have the right skills to meet the requirements of a net zero transition.

Schools: Air Conditioning

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2022 to Question 107576 on Schools: Air Conditioning, how many filters has his Department provided per school in (a) Newcastle, (b) the North East and (c) London.

Mr Robin Walker: To fulfil all eligible applications for air cleaning units, up to 9,000 air cleaning units have been made available to state-funded education providers with poorly ventilated teaching spaces where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 education providers were eligible to receive air cleaning units. This figure includes schools, colleges, and early years providers. Air cleaning units were allocated to education providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria the department has set out in its guidance.As of 25 February 2022, 7,647 air cleaning units have been delivered to state-funded education providers. Of these:41 units have been delivered to 6 education providers in Newcastle (of which 5 are schools)376 units have been provided to 64 education providers in the north-east (of which 48 are schools)1,016 units have been provided to 142 education providers in London (of which 99 are schools)Natural ventilation is best where that is achievable, and the department has robust evidence that, in the vast majority of cases, teaching spaces and classrooms benefit from sufficient natural ventilation. That evidence includes the responses to the department’s recent survey of education providers using the CO2 monitors that was published on 24 January 2022. This showed that only 3% of education providers reported sustained high CO2 readings (above 1500ppm) that could not be remedied through quick fixes or remedial building works. The survey is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to introduce a multi-sensory impairment education fund for all schools in England.

Will Quince: The department is firmly committed to ensuring that children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with multi-sensory impairments, receive the support they need to succeed in their early years, at school, and at college.This government continues to deliver year on year, real terms per pupil increases to school funding. The total core schools budget is increasing to £56.8 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. This represents a £7 billion cash increase, compared with the 2021/22 financial year.Within that overall budget, the department is increasing high needs funding for children and young people with the most complex SEND, including those with multi-sensory impairment, by £1 billion in the financial year 2022-23, to a total of £9.1 billion.Decisions around funding for SEND provision are taken locally. School leaders and local authorities have the flexibility to make their own decisions on how to prioritise their spending to invest in a range of resources and activities that will best support their pupils.

Social Services: Children

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Local Government Association's projection that the cost of children’s social care will increase by an estimated £600 million each year until 2024-25, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that increase; and what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to meet that extra cost.

Will Quince: The department recognises the challenges local authorities are facing. In recent years, the government have boosted real-term funding to local, including creating the social care grant which has increased significantly from £410 million in 2019 to £1.7 billion this year and will continue to increase in the financial year 2022-23.Next financial year (2022-23), the government is providing over £630 million additional funding into the social care grant, bringing the grant total to £2.4 billion. The department is also providing a one-off services grant in the 2022-23 financial year worth over £800 million that can be used for all services, including children’s social care.In total, local authorities will have access to £54.1 billion for the 2022-23 financial year, an increase of up to £3.7 billion on the previous financial year 2021-22.Further, the government has provided an additional £200 million for Supporting Families announced at the Budget and Spending Round 2021. This represents around a 40% real-terms uplift in funding for the programme by the 2024-25 financial year, taking total planned investment across the next three years to £695 million.

Primary Education: Basic Skills

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to boost the percentage of children aged five achieving expected level on literacy, communication, and maths early learning goals as a supporting metric for mission 5 in the Levelling Up white paper.

Will Quince: The government has reformed the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to help give children the best start in life. The reforms aim to improve outcomes for children at age five, particularly disadvantaged children, in the critical areas that build the foundations for later success, such as language development, literacy and numeracy. We are investing up to £180 million in early years education recovery.Through investing in our English hubs and maths hubs programmes, we will improve the teaching of English and mathematics in schools, including for children in Reception. English hubs are currently delivering intensive support to over 1,000 partner schools, reaching approximately 50,000 pupils in Reception and year 1. Maths hubs programme includes our £100 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is bringing mastery teaching to 11,000 schools across England by 2023.To support schools to meet existing expectations on early reading, we published ‘The reading framework: teaching the foundations of literacy’. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-reading-framework-teaching-the-foundations-of-literacy.

Vocational Guidance: Theatre

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with schools to promote technical theatre skills as a valid career path.

Alex Burghart: The department works with The Careers & Enterprise Company to support schools and colleges to embed best practice so that young people are aware of the full range of careers, including technical theatre roles, and have access to meaningful encounters with a range of employers and workplaces.The department funds Careers Hubs which lead partnerships of secondary schools, colleges, employers, Local Enterprise Partnerships, local authorities, and careers providers to help young people connect closely to local skills and economic needs through a responsive careers education programme. Through this network, schools can make links with employers from a wide range of sectors who are working with schools and colleges to improve careers education to help young people make informed choices and develop the skills they need and employers want.Employers can register their interest to support schools and colleges, for example through the Enterprise Adviser Network or as a Cornerstone Employer, via The Careers & Enterprise Company’s website. This website is available here: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/employers/become-a-cornerstone-employer/. Cornerstone Employers are a flagship group of employers from a range of sectors that work with networks of schools and colleges to improve careers education and make sure key skills for their sector are understood by teachers and education leaders.In addition, The National Careers Service, a free, government-funded careers information, advice and guidance service draws on a range of labour market information to support and guide individuals. The service website gives customers access to a range of useful digital tools and resources to support them, including ‘Explore Careers’ which has information on more than 130 industry areas and more than 800 job profiles. This includes a range of technical theatre roles, describing what those roles entail, qualifications and entry routes.

Schools: Defibrillators

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to require schools to have defibrillators on their premises.

Will Quince: I refer the hon. Member for Swansea East to the answer I gave on 2 December 2021 to Question 79483.

Apprentices and Graduates: Pay

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment he has made of the average salary of a person who has completed (a) an apprenticeship and (b) a university degree; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure parity between those average salaries.

Alex Burghart: High quality apprenticeships are available at all levels, from GCSE equivalent at level 2 to undergraduate and master’s degree equivalent at levels 6 and 7. Apprenticeships are undertaken by people of all ages, aged 16 and over, from young people taking the first steps in their careers to older workers looking to retrain or upskill.Apprenticeships are jobs with training, created by employers, designed to support an apprentice to achieve occupational competence in that occupation. Apprentices earn while they learn, do not incur tuition fees, and we know that upon completion apprenticeships offer good wage returns. Some apprenticeships may include a mandatory qualification, such as a degree or a professional accreditation.Our latest published data, for the tax year 2019/20, shows that five years after study, median annualised earnings for learners who achieved an intermediate (level 2) apprenticeship in the 2013/14 academic year were £20,530. For advanced (level 3) apprenticeships this rose to £21,990, and median annualised earnings five years after study for level 4 higher apprenticeships were £29,180.Level 5-7 apprenticeships compare well to the earnings of first-degree graduates five years on, although it is important to note that these apprenticeships span the equivalent of a foundation degree (level 5) to a master’s degree (level 7) and that at this time, level 5+ apprenticeships were a much smaller part of the programme. Our latest comparable data, for tax year 2018/19, show that median first degree graduate annual earnings five years after graduation in the 2012/13 academic year were £27,400, compared to £29,030 for level 5+ apprentices.We caution against direct comparison between post-apprenticeship earnings and post-degree earnings due to the range of levels at which an individual can undertake an apprenticeship.We are committed to supporting more people to benefit from high quality apprenticeships. We are promoting apprenticeships through our ‘Get the Jump’ and ‘Skills for Life’ campaigns, and we continue to support employers to develop apprenticeships to meet their skills needs and to train apprentices in the ways that work best for them.

Apprentices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that young people are aware of the availability of apprenticeships in a range of sectors in the context of the finding from the Association of Accounting Technicians that 34 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds believe that apprenticeships are only available for manual labour.

Alex Burghart: Apprenticeships provide people with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed to start an exciting career in a wide range of industries, everything from artificial intelligence, archaeology, data science, business management and banking. We want more young people to benefit from high-quality apprenticeships.To encourage more young people to consider apprenticeships, we are promoting apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge programme. This free service provides resources and interventions to help better educate young people about apprenticeships and has reached over 2 million students across England since its introduction in the 2016/17 academic year.In January 2021, we announced the introduction of a three-point plan to enforce provider access legislation. This requires that all maintained schools and academies provide opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to visit schools for the purpose of informing year 8-13 pupils about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. This plan includes creating clear minimum legal requirements, specifying who is to be given access to which pupils and when. This is an important step towards real choice for every pupil.The National Careers Service, a free, government-funded careers information, advice and guidance service draws on a range of labour market information to support and guide individuals. The National Careers Service is impartial, and careers guidance is tailored to individual needs. Young people aged 13 to 18 can access ongoing in-depth information, advice and guidance from the service via a helpline, webchat or the National Careers Service website.In February during National Apprenticeship Week, I wrote to all year 11, 12 and 13 pupils and their parents to tell them about the great opportunities offered through apprenticeships.We offer guidance and support to young people who are considering applying for apprenticeships through our apprenticeship website: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/, which explains the application stages in a step-by-step process. Students can search for new apprenticeship opportunities on our Find an Apprenticeship (FAA) service, over 19,000 apprenticeship vacancies were advertised on the FAA service in November 2021, details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship.

Teachers: Design and Technology

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Initial Teacher Training Census, published in December 2021, what steps he is taking to tackle workforce deficits for design and technology teachers.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) for Academic Year 2021/22, published in December 2021, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the low level of recruitment and high level of vacancies for design and technology teachers.

Mr Robin Walker: The number of teachers remains high, with more than 461,000 working in state-funded schools across the country, which is 20,000 more than in 2010. One of the department’s top priorities is to ensure that it continues to attract and retain high-quality teachers.As detailed in the initial teacher training (ITT) census publication for the 2021/22 academic year, 23% of the postgraduate ITT target for design and technology was achieved (341 postgraduate trainees). This position was driven in part by a decrease in the number of trainees, but also an increase in target. Furthermore, the 2020/21 training year and recruitment cycle was atypical with the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak prompting an increase in the numbers of people going into teaching. This was expected to decline to normal levels this year as the labour market became and continues to become more competitive, as observed across the country.To combat shortages of design and technology teachers, the department is offering a £15,000 tax-free bursary for design and technology trainee teachers in the 2022/23 academic year. All design and technology trainees on tuition fee-funded ITT routes are also able to apply for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to support their living costs. Additional student finance is also available depending on individual circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.Alongside its financial incentives package, the department is driving an ambitious transformation programme to overhaul the process of becoming a teacher, from stimulating initial interest through world-class marketing through to the start of training.The teaching marketing campaign provides inspiration and support to explore a career in teaching and directs people to the ‘Get Into Teaching’ service. Through a new website, prospective candidates can access support and advice through expert one-to-one teacher training advisers, a contact centre and a national programme of events. The ‘get school experience’ digital service also arranges school experience placements between prospective candidates and schools. ‘Get Into Teaching’ is also developing innovative activities to build a pipeline of future interest in teaching, with a focus on shortage subjects.In October 2021, the government’s new digital service, ‘apply for teacher training’, was rolled out. This is a key milestone in the delivery of a more streamlined, user-friendly application route for candidates across the country and the world. New data and insight from government services will also drive innovation with a view to boosting recruitment in priority subjects.Since September 2020, all courses offered by ITT providers have been aligned to a mandatory core content framework (CCF), which was published in November 2019. The framework sets out a minimum entitlement for all trainee teachers.In September 2021, the early career framework (ECF) was implemented, entitling early career teachers (ECTs) to a further 2 years of development support and training. The core content and early career frameworks contain the same key evidence statements of what makes great teaching. This deliberate alignment has established an entitlement to at least a 3-year structured package of support for all those entering teaching.

All Saints Roman Catholic School York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has completed its assessment of All Saints School in York's application to the School Rebuilding Programme.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure the transparency of decisions relating to the School Rebuilding Programme.

Mr Robin Walker: The current nomination round for the School Rebuilding Programme closes for nominations in March. Following that, we aim to select schools to proceed into the programme later this year. We have not yet assessed the nomination for any school in this round.The department recently consulted on the approach to future selection rounds of the School Rebuilding Programme. The primary goal of the consultation was to seek views on how to prioritise schools fairly and effectively for the programme. The department published the response on 3 February 2022, along with detailed guidance on the process for the next round, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/prioritising-schools-for-the-school-rebuilding-programme. We have held a series of webinars to answer questions from local authorities and academy trusts about the process.The department confirmed the first 100 schools in the programme last year, as part of a commitment to 500 rebuilding and refurbishment projects over the next decade. A list of these schools, and the methodology used for their selection, has been published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme/school-rebuilding-programme. The department also publishes all commercial contracts over £10,000 here: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder.

Ministry of Justice

Probate Service: Telephone Services

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds data on the average waiting time before callers speak to call handlers at the probate service in each of the last five years.

Tom Pursglove: Average speed of answer in 2021 was 15 minutes and 18 seconds. Average speed of answer in 2020 was 13 minutes and 17 seconds. We do not hold data for this area of the service prior to the inception of the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC), in January 2019. Until September 2019, probate calls were answered in both the CTSC and District Probate Registries. In October 2019, all probate calls transferred to the CTSC. This data reflects the full reporting for the centralised call handling. The District Probate Registries did not collect call handling data pre or post centralisation, which means any 2019 data would not be an accurate reflection. The centralisation of all calls provides consistent standards and better monitoring of call demand, which can be used to drive service improvement. The CTSC are continuing to onboard new staff to increase the number of calls being answered and reduce the waiting time. In addition, resources are continuing to focus on applications which have been paused (stopped) where further information is required to support a probate application. These applications can take longer to grant probate, which results in contact. The focus on stopped applications is to ensure we are stopping applications correctly first time and re-examining applications where evidence has been received to progress the application; in turn reducing contact will reduce the calls received and the average time to answer.

Legal Aid Scheme: Reviews

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much and what proportion of the funding committed to the accelerated items of the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid has been paid out as of February 2022.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much additional funding has been committed to criminal legal aid since 2018; how that figure has been calculated; how much of that funding has been spent; and what the funding breakdown is between payments to litigators and to advocates.

James Cartlidge: From point of implementation in September 2020 up to the end of September 2021, which is the period for which official statistics exist, total expenditure on accelerated items amounts to £10 million. This represents 20% of the total potential steady state expenditure introduced under the accelerated items of the Criminal Legal Aid Review. The actual spend to date under the accelerated items is lower than expected at this point. This is due to a number of factors including the impact of COVID-19 on the court system, which has slowed the rate at which new cases are disposed of by the courts, meaning that the build-up of expenditure on these measures has been generally slower than anticipated. Additionally, there have been lower than expected numbers of providers making claims where they are eligible to do so under certain accelerated items such as the fixed fee for consideration of unused material. In response to this the Legal Aid Agency has increased its communications regarding claiming accelerated items and has added prompts to the digital payment system to encourage providers to claim the fixed fee in eligible cases. We expect the rate of payments to increase in the coming months. Criminal legal aid reforms since 2018 have increased funding by up to £74 million, in steady state terms. In 2018 the Ministry of Justice made a number of amendments to the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) at a commensurate annual cost of £23 million. In 2020, a number of accelerated items affecting both Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS) and AGFS, were introduced following completion of the first phase of the Criminal Legal Aid Review. These measures had the effect of injecting up to a further £51 million into criminal legal aid.The Impact Assessments published alongside the consultation responses on the fee changes set out methodology and assumptions used to calculate the increase to expenditure as a result of these measures.2018 amendments to the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme agfs-response-impact-assessment.pdf (justice.gov.uk)2020 Accelerated Items Criminal Legal Aid Review: an accelerated package of measures amending the criminal legal aid fee schemes (justice.gov.uk) As the amendments introduced in 2018 had the effect of re-baselining fees paid under the AGFS, information about how much has been paid in total specifically as a result of these amendments could only be obtained at disproportionate cost to the Department. However, details of annual expenditure under the AGFS can be found in published LAA statistics Legal aid statistics: July to September 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (table 4.3). All of the additional expenditure introduced as a result of these amendments has been paid to advocates. As of 30 September 2021, total expenditure in relation to the accelerated items was £10 million. Of this £2.3 million was paid to advocates and £7.7 million was paid to litigators.

Human Rights Act 1998

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will extend the deadline for his Department's consultation, Human Rights Act Reform: A Modern Bill of Rights, in response to the delay in publishing a full easy read version of that document.

James Cartlidge: The publication of the easy-read version of our consultation on A Modern Bill of Rights was regrettably delayed due to issues with an external supplier. As a result of this, the Secretary of State has extended the deadline for responses by six weeks for those with needs for an easy-read or audio version of the consultation document. The new deadline for these responses is 19 April. Ministry of Justice officials will be conducting focused engagement sessions with disability organisations to explore the proposals outlined in the consultation further. The Department will also complete a full Equalities Impact Assessment of any proposals taken forward.

Freezing of Assets and Travel Restrictions: Russia

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have received from law firms with offices in London attempting to stop efforts to implement asset freezes and travel bans relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

James Cartlidge: No letters have been received on this topic by the Secretary of State for Justice or any other Ministers in the Ministry of Justice.

Ministry of Justice: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

James Cartlidge: MoJ provides the majority of its funding directly to services with a limited amount of funding going to bodies and local authorities for administration. Where we do make payments to local authorities for activities, such as grants to Youth Offending Teams, we do not consider these to be funding for programmes. We do provide funding to bodies such as the Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales which cover a wide range of activities to support Victims Services such as Pre-Trial support and funding to Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors. We are currently working through the departments financial budget allocations and therefore are not in a position to confirm plans for future spend.

Treasury

Charities: Humanitarian Aid

Joanna Cherry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to provide technical expertise to UK charities seeking to send shipments of humanitarian aid to EU countries to ensure they are not affected by customs restrictions imposed following the UK's departure from the EU.

Lucy Frazer: HMRC understands that people in the UK want to help those affected by the invasion of Ukraine. The Government advises that the best way to help the Ukrainian people is to donate money through the Disasters Emergency Committee or other trusted charities. The Disasters Emergency Committee appeal can be found here: https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal. Most goods crossing borders require customs declarations and may be subject to checks. Duty and other border taxes may be payable on entry into other customs territories, such as the EU. This includes goods donated to charities and in kind assistance, such as food, blankets, and clothing. Charities will need to follow UK export guidance and comply with any import rules and pay any taxes or duty owed in the EU or other country that the goods are being sent to, including Ukraine. However, we appreciate that people and businesses may still wish to donate aid directly to the region and we are exploring further ways to support this. UK charities requiring advice about transporting humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees can contact the free-to-use Export Support Service (ESS). The ESS helpline number is 0300 303 8955 and is currently operational 7 days a week, from 08:00-2200hours. Support can also be accessed online: https://www.gov.uk/ask-export-support-team.

Health and Social Care Levy

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer to the Question 129258 on Health and Social Care Levy, if he will publish all internal analysis carried out by (a) his Department and (b) HMRC which supports the statement in the Tax Information and Impact Note for the Health and Social Care Levy that there may be an impact on family formation, stability or breakdown as individuals, who are currently just about managing financially, will see their disposable income reduce.

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates he has made of the costs to business of (a) the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy from April 2023 and (b) the transitional increase to the main and additional rates of National Insurance contributions in 2022-23 arising from (i) familiarisation with the changes, (ii) updating software or systems, and (iii) updating employee payroll records.

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to payroll software providers of (a) the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy from April 2023 and (b) the transitional increase to the main and additional rates of National Insurance contributions in 2022-23 arising from the (i) familiarisation with the changes and (ii) updating software or systems.

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to HMRC of (a) the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy from April 2023 and (b) the transitional increase to the main and additional rates of National Insurance contributions in 2022-23 arising from (i) changes to HMRC’s IT systems and (ii) extra staff to support customers and ensure compliance with the new system.

Lucy Frazer: The announcement of the National Insurance contributions (NICs) increase in the 2022-23 tax year and the introduction of the Health and Social Care levy (HSCL) from 2023-24 onwards will impact 1.6 million employers. Businesses will face one-off costs to familiarise themselves with the changes and to update employee payroll records. The impacts on businesses can be found in the HSCL Tax information and Impact Note which was published by HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-social-care-levy/health-and-social-care-levy. Family Test assessments are not routinely published. Decisions on whether and how to publish complete Family Test assessments fall within the responsibility of each Government department. The announcement of the NICs increase in the 2022-23 tax year and the introduction of the HSCL from 2023-24 onwards was made ahead of the announcement of annual changes that payroll software providers make each year. It is expected that these changes will form part of the annual change process for software developers. An initial estimate of the cost for changes to HMRC’s IT systems and extra support staff was provided to Parliament by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 14 September 2021. The initial estimated cost was £40-50 million. A further estimate will be available in due course.

Fuels: VAT

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if will make an estimate of the potential level of revenues to the Exchequer in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2019-20, (d) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22 based on a rate of (i) 5 percent, (ii) 4 percent, (iii) 3 percent, (iv) 2 percent, (v) 1 percent and (vi) 0 percent for VAT on fuel.

Lucy Frazer: HMRC publishes estimates of the cost to the Exchequer of the current 5 percent reduced rate of VAT on supplies of domestic fuel and power:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs The estimates shown in the published table represent the cost of the 5 per cent reduced rate compared to the 20 per cent standard rate, a relief of 15 per cent. Estimates of the additional revenue cost of rates below 5 per cent can be derived by taking the respective proportions of the current cost, as shown in the table below:Reduced rate of VAT on supplies of domestic fuel and power 2017-182018-192019-202020-212021-22£ millionForecastCost of current 5 per cent reduced rate4,7004,7005,0004,5005,200Additional revenue cost of 4 per cent rate300300300300300Additional revenue cost of 3 per cent rate600600700600700Additional revenue cost of 2 per cent rate9009001,0009001,000Additional revenue cost of 1 per cent rate1,3001,3001,3001,2001,400Additional revenue cost of 0 per cent rate1,6001,6001,7001,5001,700 These estimates are based on economic statistics on household expenditure on domestic fuel and power, as published by the Office for National Statistics. HMRC is unable to produce estimates based on VAT return data because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level on their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Hospitality Industry: VAT

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the 12.5 per cent hospitality VAT rate to the end of 2022.

Lucy Frazer: The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced on 15 July 2020 to support the cash flow and viability of around 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, the Government extended the 5 per cent temporary reduced rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors until the end of September 2021. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent was introduced for these goods and services to help ease affected businesses back to the standard rate. The sector can continue to benefit from this relief until 31 March 2022. The Government has been clear that the reduced rate of VAT for tourism and hospitality is a temporary measure designed to support the sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It is appropriate that as restrictions are lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increases, the temporary tax reliefs are first reduced, and then removed, in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances. This relief has cost over £8 billion and, whilst all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to extend the 12.5 per cent reduced rate of VAT.

Defibrillators: VAT

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will remove VAT on purchases of defibrillators by individuals irrespective of where they are purchased in the UK.

Lucy Frazer: The Government already maintains VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), including VAT relief on purchases made by local authorities and those made through voluntary contributions, where the AED is donated to eligible charities or the NHS. Otherwise, they attract the standard rate of VAT.Any new VAT relief would come at a cost to the Exchequer and the Government has received over £50 billion worth of requests for relief from VAT since the EU referendum. The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Doctors: Taxation

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS doctors will not incur increased tax liabilities due to pension contributions with the result that they would be financially worse off for working longer hours.

John Glen: The Government increased in April 2020 the thresholds for the calculation of the tapered annual allowance in pensions tax by £90,000 to support delivery across public services, and in particular the NHS. Raising the tapered annual allowance thresholds means that no-one with a net income before tax below £200,000 is now affected by the tapered annual allowance. It was estimated that this would take up to 96% of GPs and up to 98% of NHS consultants outside the scope of the tapered annual allowance. This allows savers to continue to make significant amounts of pension savings tax-free, while ensuring incentives to save are targeted across society.

Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many licences OFSI has issued for legal fees in FY2022 as of 28 February 2022.

John Glen: OFSI has issued 22 licences to permit the payment of reasonable legal fees in this period. All licence applications are carefully assessed against the criteria set out in the relevant Regulations.

Property: Individual Savings Accounts

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the lifetime ISA property limit in line with inflation.

John Glen: The Lifetime ISA is intended to support younger people saving for their first home or for later life by offering a generous government bonus of 25% on up to £4,000 of savings each year. These funds, including the government bonus, can be used to purchase a first home up to the value of £450,000. The Government considers that the £450,000 price cap is suitable to support the majority of first-time buyers across the UK, who typically purchase less expensive properties than other buyers, while ensuring sustainable public finances. The most recent Office for Budget Responsibility forecast stated that bonus payments will have an exchequer cost of £3.7 billion between 2021 and 2027. The price cap ensures that this significant investment of public money is more precisely targeted towards households that may find it more difficult to get onto the property ladder. First-time buyers who can purchase a home valued over £450,000 are likely to have an income significantly above that of the average household in the UK and are therefore more likely to be able to purchase a first home without the support of this scheme. However, the Government continues to keep all aspects of savings policy under review.

Money: Older People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect access to cash for elderly people.

John Glen: The Government recognises that cash remains an important part of daily life for millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or elderly, and has committed to legislate to protect access to cash. As part of the Financial Services Act 2021, the Government made legislative changes to support the widespread offering of cashback without a purchase by shops and other businesses. The Government's view is that cashback without a purchase has the potential to be a valuable facility to cash users Last year, the Government held an Access to Cash Consultation on proposals for new laws to make sure people only need to travel a reasonable distance to pay in or take out cash. The Government’s proposals intend to support the continued use of cash in people’s daily lives and help to enable local businesses to continue accepting cash by ensuring they can access deposit facilities. The Government is carefully considering responses to the consultation as it develops legislation. The Government will set out next steps in due course.

Energy: Prices

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) the repayable £200 discount and (b) other measures introduced to support energy consumers on disabled people.

Helen Whately: The Government is providing significant financial support worth up to £350 to the majority of households. This covers more than half of the forecast £700 rise in energy bills for the average household. This support – worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 – is composed of:A £200 reduction in households’ energy bills this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years (known as the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS));A £150 non-repayable council tax rebate from April, paid to all households in council tax bands A-D; and£144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who may need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction.The Chancellor has also confirmed plans to go ahead with existing proposals to expand eligibility for the Warm Home Discount by almost a third - so that three million vulnerable households will now benefit.Ministers consider a range of evidence and analysis as part of policy development and when making decisions, including assessments of how options under consideration would affect members of groups with protected characteristics, in line with the Government's aims and statutory duties.

Red Diesel

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will postpone restrictions on the use of red diesel from April 2022 in the context of recent and forthcoming increases in the cost of living.

Helen Whately: At Budget 2020 the Chancellor announced that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel from most sectors from April 2022. This will more fairly reflect the negative environmental impact of the emissions they produce and help to ensure that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternatives. The Government recognised that this would be a significant change for some businesses and ran a consultation to gather information from affected users on the expected impact of these tax changes and make sure it had not overlooked any exceptional reasons why affected sectors should be allowed to continue to use red diesel beyond April 2022. Following the consultation, the Chancellor announced at Spring Budget 2021 that the Government will grant further entitlements to use red diesel after April 2022 for a limited number of users. However, having assessed the cases made by other sectors to retain their red diesel entitlement, the Government did not believe that they were compelling enough to outweigh the need to ensure fairness between the different users of diesel fuels, the Government’s long-term environmental objectives and the need for the tax system to incentivise the development of greener alternatives to polluting fuels. To support the development of alternatives that affected businesses can switch to, the Government is at least doubling the funding provided for energy innovation through the new £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. From that portfolio, the Government announced the £40 million Red Diesel Replacement Competition, which will provide grant funding for projects that develop and demonstrate lower carbon, lower cost alternatives to red diesel for the construction, and mining and quarrying sectors. As announced at Spring Budget 2021, from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023, companies can also claim 130% first-year capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments.

Child Benefit

James Sunderland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Government bases Child Benefit on only one person's income and not the total income of the household; and for what reason the High Income Child Benefit Charge is not increased more often to reflect real terms wages and increases in the cost of living.

Lucy Frazer: The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) is calculated on an individual rather than a household basis, in line with other tax policy. Basing HICBC on household incomes would mean having to assess the adjusted net income of everyone in each of the 8 million households registered for Child Benefit, as HMRC does not hold this data. This would effectively introduce a new means test, creating significant administrative costs and placing a disproportionate burden on the majority of families who receive Child Benefit. The Government is committed to managing the public finances in a disciplined and responsible way by targeting support where it is most needed. The adjusted net income threshold of £50,000 used in the administration of the HICBC only affects a minority of those who receive Child Benefit, with comparatively high incomes. The Government therefore believes that the current threshold for HICBC remains the best option. As with all elements of tax policy, the threshold is kept under review. The Government recognises the challenge that many are facing with the cost of living. This is why we are providing support worth over £20 billion across this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills. In addition, we are increasing the National Living Wage by 6.6 per cent to £9.50 an hour in April 2022, which will benefit more than 2 million workers.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Sudan: Politics and Government

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the level of risk of a further coup in Sudan.

Vicky Ford: We remain concerned at the political crisis, instability and continued violent repression of protesters in Sudan following the military coup in October 2021. Sudan has a long history of extra-constitutional changes of government, often instigated by elements of the military, but our focus is on supporting the UN facilitated talks that aim to see a negotiated end to the crisis and a return to the path to democracy. Ministers, British Embassy staff in Khartoum and senior FCDO officials continue to call on all Sudanese actors, particularly the military, to engage in talks and deliver the Sudanese people's demands for freedom, peace and justice.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will (a) list the spending programmes her Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Vicky Ford: This Department is unable to identify individual spending programmes which are devolved to local government or other local spending bodies.

Mozambique: Human Rights

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support the Government of Mozambique in (a) protecting the lives of (i) human rights defenders and (ii) journalists and (b) delivering accountability for extrajudicial killings.

Vicky Ford: We regularly discuss the importance of human rights with the Government of Mozambique, and are clear that all allegations of human rights abuses and violations must be investigated, and those responsible brought to justice. We are supporting implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights in Mozambique, working with government, civil society and the private sector to promote a community-focused approach to security, and minimize the risks of human rights abuses. In December 2021 the UK supported a conference on the topic of investigative journalism to protect human rights in Cabo Delgado.

Ukraine: Oxygen

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to supply Ukraine with oxygen cannisters.

James Cleverly: The UK Government has pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance. The funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs.

Ukraine: Food Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support Ukraine's food supply.

James Cleverly: The UK Government has pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance. Our humanitarian support will help partners stand up their response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities. HMG is also match-funding the public's first £25 million of donations to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, our largest ever aid-match contribution.

Russia: Ukraine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on India's neutrality on the UN Security Council Resolution condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine.

James Cleverly: The Foreign Secretary discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on 24 February. During that conversation she reiterated the UK's steadfast commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and the need for the international community to confront Russian aggression. The vote on 25 February in the UN Security Council sent an important message to Russia that its actions have isolated it internationally. We welcome that all other member states demonstrated support for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity which Russia have so flagrantly violated by not voting alongside Russia.

Africa: Ukraine

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to work with partner countries neighbouring Ukraine to help ensure that citizens of African states resident in Ukraine (a) are able to seek refuge and (b) are not subject to discrimination; and what support she is offering to African states making coordinated efforts to evacuate their citizens from Ukraine.

James Cleverly: Over 2 million people have left Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion and more will do so as long as President Putin continues his reprehensible and needless attack. We are concerned about credible reports of discrimination against people of African, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds amongst those seeking to leave Ukraine. The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or race. We have pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance and deployed UK humanitarian experts to support Ukraine's neighbours, who are receiving and supporting refugees fleeing Ukraine, through providing logistics advice and analysis of needs on the ground.

Humanitarian Aid: Ukraine

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Government Department is administering medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine; and if she will provide information on how a company in Congleton constituency can make direct and urgent contact with the relevant Department on that matter.

James Cleverly: The UK has pledged £395 million of aid, which includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and the region. Our support will ensure that Ukrainians have access to basic necessities and medical supplies. The UK Government encourages people to visit the following webpage: Ukraine: what you can do to help - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-what-you-can-do-to-help) to guide them on the best way to direct their donations.

Antisatellite Weapons: Arms Control

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the UK permanent representative to the UN on the feasibility of initiating global governance arrangements limiting the use of anti-satellite weaponry including (a) direct ascent anti-satellite missiles, (b) co-orbital anti-satellite weaponry and (c) ground or space-based directed energy weapons.

James Cleverly: The United Kingdom is playing a leading role on both space security and space sustainability. We work through UK Missions in New York, Geneva and Vienna. The United Kingdom is leading discussions on responsible space behaviours, particularly at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) but also at the Conference on Disarmament and UN Disarmament Commission, that aim to reduce the risks of miscalculation and escalation leading to conflict. In 2020 at UNGA the UK ran a resolution calling for a report by the UN Secretary-General on "Reducing Space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour" and submitted our views to https://www.un.org/disarmament/topics/outerspace-sg-report-outer-space-2021/ in April 2021, including on counterspace weapons. In December 2021 UNGA adopted the UK-led follow-on resolution to set up an Open Ended Working Group.

Humanitarian Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 23 February 2022 to Question 125398, what plans her Department has to resume the estimation of beneficiary numbers of humanitarian and social protection.

James Cleverly: The estimation of beneficiary numbers for FCDO's humanitarian and social protection support will be conducted later this year (summer 2022) as one of the performance metrics in the forthcoming FCDO Outcome Delivery Plan covering 2022-2025. This will be covered by the KPI "Number of people reached through humanitarian and social protection support (food, cash and vouchers)" and will provide an estimate of the number of people reached by the FCDO between April 2021 and March 2022 with either humanitarian or social protection assistance.

Ukraine: Refugees

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department plans to take support transgender and non-binary Ukrainian overcome barriers preventing them from leaving Ukraine safely.

James Cleverly: The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Combating violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people forms an important part of our wider international human rights work. It is important that all those seeking to leave Ukraine are able to do so; we will continue to liaise with authorities on the ground to ensure this principle is respected.

Russia: Diplomatic Relations

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held discussions with her (a) EU counterparts and (b) NATO allies on the potential merits of coordinated expulsions of Russian diplomats from EU and NATO countries.

James Cleverly: We are discussing all elements of the response with our partners but we would not speculate on actions such as these.

Developing Countries: Food

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of (a) the proposals for reform set out in the report entitled Facilitating progress towards SDG2: Zero Hunger, published by Chatham House on 15 February 2022 and (b) the proposals on improving transparency in the selection process of leaders of the three UN Rome-based agencies by (i) creating a code of conduct for the election process and (ii) holding public events for leadership candidates to answer questions from key stakeholders.

Vicky Ford: We agree that the three Rome UN agencies have a critical role within the international architecture in achieving food security and improving nutrition, but that their collective potential is not being fully realised. The UK has led efforts at UN system-wide reform and has worked closely with other Member States on better collaboration between agencies for greater effectiveness and efficiency. The UK has been at the heart of ongoing reforms described in the Chatham House paper on introducing more transparent and merit-based procedures for selecting agency heads in Rome. These have included the introduction of hearings with candidates in IFAD and FAO. We welcomed Chatham House's contribution to public events prior to the last elections in those agencies and look forward to their continued engagement.

Tibet: Languages

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the preservation of the Tibetan language across Tibet.

Amanda Milling: We have serious concerns about the situation in Tibet, including reports of the erosion of Tibetan language and culture. We urge China to respect all fundamental rights across the People's Republic of China, including in Tibet, in line with both its own constitution and the international frameworks to which it is a party. Most recently, on 1 March the Foreign Secretary expressed her concern about the human rights violations occurring in Tibet in an address to the UN Human Rights Council. The UK also joined 43 other countries in supporting a statement at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2021 that expressed deep concern about the human rights situation in Tibet, and called on the Chinese authorities to abide by their human rights obligations.

Kazakhstan: Demonstrations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her counterpart in Kazakhstan on the (a) use of force by security forces on people protesting against living standards and (b) repression of peaceful protest.

James Cleverly: Following the outbreak of violence in Kazakhstan, My Noble Friend the Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met senior representatives of the Kazakh government, including President Tokayev’s Special Representative. In these contacts, he underlined the need to ensure that law enforcement responses to protests are proportionate, in accordance with Kazakhstan’s international obligations. He also stressed the importance of the investigation into the unrest being conducted urgently, transparently and effectively.

UK Trade with EU: Northern Ireland Protocol

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterpart on the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Northern Ireland trade.

James Cleverly: On 21 February, my Rt Hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Vice President Maroš Šefčovič co-chaired the Ninth Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in Brussels.The Protocol is not working for the people of Northern Ireland and is threatening political stability. The EU needs to show flexibility to urgently resolve the issues to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to (a) identify eligible applicants to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme in Afghanistan who meet the criteria for vulnerable minorities and (b) provide that information to the Home Office.

James Cleverly: The ACRS will prioritise those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan, and vulnerable people, including those from ethnic and religious minority groups.In the first year, under the third pathway of the ACRS, the FCDO will refer to the Home Office a number of at-risk British Council and Gardaworld contractors and Chevening alumni for resettlement.The process for deciding who from within these groups should be referred is being developed. It will have proper regard for risk, including risk resulting from minority status or identity.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the progress made towards a renewed nuclear deal with Iran during the Vienna talks.

James Cleverly: We are in the final stage of talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. This is the decision point. E3 negotiators are ready to return to Vienna and conclude the deal on the table.We have worked intensively with JCPoA participants and the US to reach this stage.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian Situation

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia.

Vicky Ford: Ethiopia is the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis. From north to south, 30 million people across the country require life-saving aid, including five million displaced persons and tens of millions of people affected by conflict and drought.Only one aid truck has been able to enter the Tigray region since December, where four hundred thousand people are experiencing famine conditions. 500 trucks a week are neededThe UK has provided over £80 million pounds to the response since November 2020, making us one of the largest donors.

Press Freedom

Mr John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote global media freedom.

Vicky Ford: We commend all journalists in Ukraine for their bravery in these unprecedented times and condemn the censorship of independent journalists in Russia.The UK is a longstanding champion of media freedom globally, which is vital to realising the network of liberty. My noble friend, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, led the UK delegation at the annual Global Conference for Media Freedom in Estonia last month.We co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition, and continue to work with them, and partners to address the deteriorating global media freedom situation.

Economic Crime

Nigel Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to tackle illicit finance.

Vicky Ford: Money obtained through corruption or criminality, including that linked to Russia, is not welcome in the UK. This is why the Government is at the forefront of tackling illicit finance, combatting the threat from source to destination.My department has introduced the toughest possible sanctions in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine and sent a clear message that there is no place for stolen and illegitimate wealth from Russia in the UK.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policy of the Mauritian sovereignty claim on the Chagos islands.

Amanda Milling: The UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which we have held continuously since 1814.Mauritius has never held sovereignty over BIOT and we do not recognise its claim.However, we stand by our commitment, first made in 1965, to cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer needed for defence purposes.

Israel: Arab States

Christian Wakeford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage Arab and Muslim states to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel.

Amanda Milling: The UK is committed to working with Arab and Israeli partners to help deliver shared prosperity and regional security.We welcome Israeli PM Bennett’s recent inaugural visit to Bahrain.The UK is committed to ensuring that normalisation is an enduring success. We will continue to encourage further regional partners to normalise relations with Israel and support efforts that bring us closer to this goal.

Joram Nechironga

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the planned deportation of Joram Nechironga to Zimbabwe.

Vicky Ford: The Foreign Secretary has not discussed the deportation of Joram Nechironga with Cabinet colleagues. This is a matter for the Home Office.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to help support the global roll out of the covid-19 vaccine.

Amanda Milling: The UK champions vaccine access for all countries through our support for COVAX. The UK was one of the earliest and largest donors to COVAX, contributing £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). Our early funding gave the COVAX AMC the purchase power to secure deals with manufacturers to supply internationally approved vaccines for up to 92 low and middle-income countries. So far, COVAX has helped deliver over 1.16 billion doses to 144 participants.As of 3 March 2022, the UK has donated almost 36 million Covid-19 vaccine doses. 32.6 million doses have been delivered to countries in need, of which 26 million have been delivered via COVAX and 6.6 million doses donated directly. A further 3.3 million doses have been received by COVAX and will shortly be allocated and shipped in line with COVAX's fair allocation model. An additional 32.3 million doses have been committed to COVAX, to be delivered in the near future.We have also announced £160 million to support the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation to continue its vital work to develop new, and improve existing, vaccines against COVID19 and other diseases with pandemic potential.

Mboneni Ncube

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised the death of Mboneni Ncube with her Zimbabwean counterpart.

Vicky Ford: The UK remains concerned by reports of violent attacks on opposition supporters in Zimbabwe and is saddened by the death of Mboneni Ncube. We have been clear with the Government of Zimbabwe that they must meet their international and domestic obligations by respecting the rule of law and safeguarding human rights, including by ensuring perpetrators are held accountable for their actions. I raised our concerns about attacks on opposition supporters when I spoke to President Mnangagwa on 1 November 2021 at COP26. The Embassy in Harare regularly raises our concerns on human rights with the Government of Zimbabwe, most recently with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 16 February.

Ukraine: Refugees

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the reduction of customs and export paperwork requirements between the UK and the EU to enable aid collected by the public to be quickly sent to Eastern countries to assist Ukrainian refugees.

James Cleverly: The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with EU, NATO and other international counterparts.The UK Government advises people to donate cash through trusted charities and humanitarian partners, rather than donating goods. Unsolicited donations, although well-meaning, can obstruct supply chains and delay more urgent support from getting through. Trusted humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Ukraine and countries in the region to assess needs and deliver the assistance most required. It is usually more efficient for aid organisations to procure required items themselves, and locally, than to process, store, and distribute donated goods.HMG will also match-fund the public's first £25 million of donations to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, our largest ever aid-match contribution.

Ibraimo Abú Mbaruco

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations she has made to the Government of Mozambique on the disappearance of journalist Ibraimo Abú Mbaruco in 2020.

Vicky Ford: The UK is concerned by the disappearance of journalist Ibraimo Abu Mbaruco in Cabo Delgado on 7 April 2020. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised this issue with President Nyusi and reiterated calls for an investigation into his disappearance. Journalists play a critical role, and must be free to carry out their work without fear of violence. The UK is working with partners in government and civil society to promote media freedom in Mozambique, including through supporting a December 2021 conference on the topic of investigative journalism to protect human rights in Cabo Delgado.

Africa: Human Rights

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what projects her Department is funding through its Human Rights and Democracy Programme Fund to work on remedy procedures for human rights abuses by businesses operating in African countries as of 28 February 2022.

Vicky Ford: Through International Programme funding (formerly the Human Rights and Democracy Programme Fund) the FCDO is supporting the Security and Human Rights Implementation Mechanism (SHRIM), a multi-donor fund committed to improving business, security and human rights through the implementation of international initiatives in fragile contexts. In financial year 2021/22, UK funding to the SHRIM supported projects focussed on the extractives and private security sectors. In the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya this focused on private security sector governance. In Nigeria, the project supported government engagement with communities and established dialogue with companies. In Mozambique, the project supported the creation of a National Working Group on the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights to provide a forum for dialogue and joint resolution of business, security, and human rights concerns. The projects have helped strengthen multi-stakeholder capacities to monitor and promote the respect for human rights.In addition, the Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) programme, working in partnership with the East Africa Law Society (EALS) is promoting sustainable, inclusive and responsible business practices across the region.

Africa: Private Military and Security Companies

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) levels of uptake and (b) progress towards implementation of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers in sub-Saharan African and Sahelian states.

Vicky Ford: Compliance with the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers (ICoC) is monitored by the International Code of Conduct Association for Security Providers (ICoCA). The FCDO supports ICoCA through a seat on the ICOCA Governing Board, alongside two civil society board members from Nigeria and Kenya. Eight of the top ten countries with the most ICOCA members including affiliate Private Security Companies (PSC) are in Sub-Saharan African and Sahelian states. In order these are Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana.During the pandemic, ICOCA maintained engagement in the region through virtual means, which led to the creation of a Montreux Document Forum/ICOCA Membership Working Group in Nigeria. Pre-pandemic, ICOCA outreach and field missions to Kenya and Tanzania generated interest from PSC companies and their clients as did ICOCA's visit to South Sudan (November 2021), supported by the FCDO funded ICOCA procurement guide. FCDO funding also delivered training for PSCs on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan had the second, third and fifth largest number of PSC staff respectively to complete the PSEA training.

India: Rape

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2022 to Question 117758 on India: Rape, on which date she last raised the matter of criminalising marital rape with the Government of India.

Vicky Ford: Our network of High Commissions across India work to promote gender equality and tackle gender-based violence. The issue of criminalising marital rape is currently with the courts in India, and it is right to respect Indian court processes. The British High Commission in New Delhi will continue to follow this closely, while recognising that legal amendments are a matter for India.

Africa: Food

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on development and humanitarian assistance in Africa of potential increases in food prices caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Vicky Ford: The devastation being caused in Ukraine has implications globally. This is being seen in the rising prices of staple foods at a time when there is already concerning levels of food insecurity in many countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. These ongoing issues are largely caused by structural problems, conflicts, climate shocks and economic impacts of Covid-19. The FCDO will continue to prioritise humanitarian assistance and in particular prevent famines wherever possible.

Africa: Conditions of Employment

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of (a) working conditions and (b) adherence to International Labour Organisation standards in relation to people in African countries contracted to provide content moderation services to global digital companies.

Vicky Ford: Digital technologies offer the potential to deliver bigger, faster, more transformative social and economic impact for all. We work to advise partner countries on inclusive and responsible digital transformation approaches. However, our Africa-related programming does not invest in global digital companies that contract local people to provide content moderation services. The FCDO is committed to delivering more and better jobs - seeking to improve job quality progressively and raise standards - both in Africa and in the wider world, in line with the ILO's decent work agenda and standards. The UK has ratified all of the ILO's Core Conventions underpinning the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The UK engages with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on country compliance with international labour standards actively as a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body and at the International Labour Conference (ILC). The ILC Committee on the Application of Standards is integral to the ILO's supervisory system and the UK encourages all countries to abide by high labour standards.

Ethiopia: Press Freedom

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will (a) raise the cases of journalists Amir Aman Kiyaro, Thomas Engida and Temerat Negara with the Ethiopian authorities and (b) take steps to support the Government of Ethiopia in protecting journalists from punitive measures.

Vicky Ford: I raised the issue of large-scale detentions in Ethiopia with Minister for Justice Gedion on 20 January. We welcome recent releases, but now need to see due process afforded to those that remain in detention.We run programmes in Ethiopia that support the media environment, and will to continue to engage in support of Media Freedom.

Ministry of Defence

Ukraine: Humanitarian Aid

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to help ensure that food and medical supplies are available in neighbouring countries to that of Ukraine.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Army: Employment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to reverse the decision to cut full-time Army personnel to 73,000.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Afghanistan: Refugees

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individual ARAP primary applicants his Department has relocated to the UK in each month since April 2021.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Defence: Information Officers

Alyn Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many communications staff are employed (a) full time, (b) part time and (c) with flexible working arrangements in his Department.

Alyn Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spends on the employment of communications staff annually.

Leo Docherty: The Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC) in the Ministry of Defence Head Office currently has 81 staff employed in media relations and communications role, 17 of whom are military personnel. These roles include, for example, news, campaigns, strategy and planning, digital, and internal communications.The average number of staff working in The DDC to deliver the communications functions in 2019-20 was 92, 2020-21 was 90 and 2021-22 was 87. Expenditure on communications staffing was £7.534 million in 2019-20, £7.872 million in 2020-21 and £6.891 million in 2021-22.

Ministry of Defence: Social Clubs

Gareth Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a list of (a) professional staff networks and (b) social clubs operating within his Department; and if he will provide the (i) budgets and (ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years.

Leo Docherty: This information is not held in the format requested.

Russia: Disinformation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to prevent Russian disinformation in the UK.

James Heappey: Disinformation can have a corrosive effect on the nations it is aimed against and is a tool routinely used by President Putin and the Kremlin. Her Majesty's Government has established the Cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit specifically to tackle this in the UK.

Military Bases

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will halt his Department's plans for (a) rebasing and (b) closure of bases in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Jeremy Quin: The Ministry of Defence remains committed to its estate optimisation plans to invest in key defence sites, and to the disposal of surplus sites where there is no further military requirement for their use. These are long-term plans that will be delivered over 25 years.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Jeremy Quin: This Department is unable to identify individual spending programmes which are devolved to local government or other local spending bodies.

Armed Forces: Females

Sarah Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Government's response to the Defence Committee's Second Report on Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life, published in December 2021, what progress he has made on scoping hosting an international conference in 2022 with partner nations.

Leo Docherty: We are grateful to all the women who contributed to the Defence Committee's report and continue to implement the bold changes necessary in this area. As stated in our response, Defence is committed to understanding best practice within other Armed Forces and Government Departments. As part of this, we are well advanced in our planning to host an international conference this year with partner nations and learn with our allies who share similar challenges. Further details on the conference will be published in due course.

Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions: Staff

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many safeguarding leaders her Department has appointed.

Chloe Smith: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment: Autism

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support more autistic people into employment.

Chloe Smith: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

European Social Fund: Worcestershire

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much European Social Fund money has been spent in Worcestershire in each of the last five financial years.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the England 2014-2020 European Social Fund (ESF) Programme. The amount of ESF Programme funding paid to ESF projects in the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership area in the past 5 financial years is provided below. This relates to the payment of claims submitted quarterly by projects operating in the LEP area, for expenditure incurred. Claims are paid in arrears and therefore the data may include expenditure which was incurred by projects in previous financial years. Financial YearESF payments to ESF projects in Worcestershire LEP area (by date paid)2017/18£ 513,088.592018/19£ 2,634,140.852019/20£ 2,019,650.432020/21£ 3,306,512.912021/22 (up to 01/03/2022)£ 1,857,378.87Total£ 10,330,771.65

Private Rented Housing: Evictions

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the benefit cap on eviction rates in London.

David Rutley: No recent assessment has been made of the effect of the benefit cap on eviction rates in London.

Fuel Direct Scheme: Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency are using fuel direct as a method of payment for energy bills as of 28 February 2022.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department taking to increase awareness of the Fuel Direct scheme amongst people in Wales.

David Rutley: The Government's website, GOV.UK provides information about Fuel Direct as well as advice on extra help with fuel bills for people in receipt of benefits. DWP staff will discuss this option with claimants and handle any applications they receive. In addition, Jobcentre staff have access to information on services and support available in their local area and will signpost claimants to national and local organisations, who provide specialist debt and money management support. Whilst we can identify the number of claims on Universal Credit with a deduction for energy arrears or energy ongoing consumption in the Dwyfor Meirionnydd parliamentary constituency we cannot release this data as the numbers are so small that releasing these could potentially identify individuals and risk claimant confidentiality.The Department does not keep this information centrally for legacy benefits and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

Universal Credit: Uprating

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the costs of uprating universal credit in line with the rate of inflation.

David Rutley: UC standard allowances will be up-rated in April-22 in line with the September-21 CPI figure of 3.1%. A full list of how each UC element will be uprated can be found at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9439/CBP-9439.pdf. In 2022/23 spend on UC will be around £1.1bn higher because of the uprating of the UC standard allowances and various UC elements.

Universal Credit: Prisoners' Release

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing women who are due to be released from prison to claim universal credit before their release date to prevent destitution.

David Rutley: Prisoners are not entitled to Universal Credit because they are already housed and fed by the prison estate. An exception to this is where single persons expected to serve short term sentences of 6 months or less, or who are on remand, may retain entitlement to the housing costs element of Universal Credit for up to 6 months, to safeguard tenancies and prevent homelessness on release.DWP has around 200 Prison Work Coaches based in prisons across Great Britain who provide employment support during sentence in preparation for release, and support in preparing to make a Universal Credit claim on release. We also provide a dedicated National Universal Credit phone line, which gives quick access to the benefit system for those unable to claim online. Claimants then have access to financial support from the day they claim through Universal Credit advance payments – paid up to 100% of their expected monthly entitlement.

Maternity Allowance

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2022 to Question 125365 on Maternity Allowance, and with reference to the Benefit expenditure and caseload tables published by her Department, what assessment she has made of reasons for the absence of a decline in the Statutory Maternity Pay caseload over the period in which the number of grants of Maternity Allowance to employed women has fallen by 45 per cent.

Guy Opperman: Statutory Maternity Payment caseload is a different measure to the number of grants of Maternity Allowance. Both the number of women on the caseload for Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance has decreased from 2016/17 to 2020/21. The reason for this has not been fully assessed. However, the date shows a larger decrease in the Maternity Allowance caseload, than the Statutory Maternity Pay caseload. A likely contributor to the fall is the decrease in the UK’s total fertility rate

Department for Work and Pensions: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will (a) list the spending programmes her Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Guy Opperman: DWP has the following spending programmes which it devolves for administration to local government in England and to other local spending bodies. We have provided 2021/22 values for each programme. Please note that we have not included any ESF-funded spend in this listProgramme name Value 2021-22 (£m)Reducing Parental Conflict (Workforce Development Grant)3.8Reducing Parental Conflict (CPA)0.6Household Support Fund Grant421.0Covid Winter Grant Scheme59.0Covid Local Support Grant198.0Housing Benefit Admin Subsidy164.1Housing Benefit New Burdens18.6HB Fraud and error initiatives - VEP and HBAA22.2Discretionary Housing Payments131.8Work and Health Programme16.7Work and Health Programme JETS40.5

Employment

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help people who lost their jobs during the covid-19 pandemic back into work.

Mims Davies: The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to supporting everyone who has been affected by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19. We want everyone who can work to find a job, progress in work, and thrive in the labour market. Throughout the pandemic the UK Government has provided over £400 billion to support the economy, including funding for the Plan for Jobs. The Kickstart scheme has provided over 130,000 young people with Kickstart jobs, with many of these securing permanent employment. Alongside this, the Restart Scheme offers a fresh start to those who have been unemployed for over 9 months. The scheme breaks down employment barriers that could potentially prevent jobseekers from finding work. In January, we launched Way to Work, a national campaign to help half a million job ready claimants on Universal Credit into work by the end of June 2022. We are changing our approach with claimants to an A, B, C approach (Any Job, Better Job, Career) in recognition that the longer a claimant is out of work the harder it can be to find a job. We are building on the success of Kickstart to work more closely with employers to bring them into our jobcentres. We will work with employers to move claimants into work quicker, through recruitment days, job fairs and work trials.

Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to tackle situations in which benefits may have been wrongly ended as a result of a lack of medical evidence related to the covid-19 outbreak.

Chloe Smith: DWP is not aware that there is a widespread issue where claims have been wrongly ended as a result of a lack of medical evidence. It might be helpful to note that to ensure ESA claimants received their payments on time, there was an easement in place on the requirement for medical evidence from the start of pandemic until summer 2020, when claimants could not easily access GPs. A similar easement was also applied between 17 December 2021 and 26 January 2022, to allow GPs to support the Covid-19 vaccine booster campaign.

Personal Independence Payment

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason documentation produced by her Department informs claimants of personal independence payments not to send in a supporting letter from their GP.

Chloe Smith: When individuals make a claim to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) they are encouraged to provide relevant evidence which they already have. This can include information from a GP. We do not advise claimants to request additional documents as this may slow down their claim, or incur a cost. GPs can charge their patients for producing additional supporting evidence and they may not always be best placed to provide evidence of a claimant’s functional capabilities. Part 1 of the PIP Assessment Guide (PIPAG) - Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment guide for assessment providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - for Health Professionals who carry out PIP assessments, includes guidance at section 1.4 requiring them to review each claim to determine whether further evidence is needed. It also advises on the most appropriate source of further evidence considering a range of professionals who may be involved in supporting the claimant.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing repeat disability assessments for people with progressive conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

Chloe Smith: Through the Severe Conditions criteria, we have stopped repeat assessments on ESA/UC for people with the most severe and lifelong conditions. We have committed to testing a new Severe Disability Group (SDG) for people who have severe and lifelong conditions that will not improve. These people could then benefit from a simplified process without ever needing to complete a detailed application form or go through an assessment. We will consider these test results once complete to influence thinking on the next stages of this work.

Industrial Accidents: Public Bodies

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department provides to agencies and professionals outside of the Department of Work and Pensions on the (a) circumstances in which incidents of death and serious harm should be referred to be considered for an internal process review and (b) process for making a referral of that kind.

Chloe Smith: Internal Process Reviews (IPRs) are internal retrospective investigations, focussed on organisational learning – they are not published or shared externally. When deciding whether to undertake an IPR, we look at the information available to us and consider it against the criteria outlined below such as Safeguarding Adults Boards or inquests. Information pertinent to commencing an IPR can arise internally, from an external agency or professional, or from the claimant themselves or their family. Whilst there is no formal route for external agencies to recommend that we undertake an IPR, we continuously engage with these stakeholders (on a local and organisational level) and remain alert to individual cases that would merit investigation. IPRs are conducted in all cases where:a customer has suffered serious harm, has died (including by suicide), or where we have reason to believe there has been an attempted suicideAND there is a suggestion or allegation that the Department’s actions or omissions may have negatively contributed to the customer’s circumstances.OR the Department is asked to participate in a local authority-led Safeguarding Adults Board or is named as an Interested Person at an Inquest (regardless of whether there is an allegation against the Department).

Social Security Benefits: Cystic Fibrosis

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with cystic fibrosis in England are in receipt of (a) universal credit, (b) income-related employment support allowance, (c) income-based job seekers allowance and (d) income support.

Chloe Smith: The information requested for Universal Credit and income-based Employment and Support Allowance is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Information is available for those on income-based Employment and Support Allowance with the main medical condition of ‘Diseases of the respiratory system’ here:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk Guidance for users is available at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html The information is not collected for those on Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support.

Job Centres: Staff

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure there are specialist staff with trauma training in job centres.

Mims Davies: Training and guidance is provided for all staff working with different vulnerable groups. This includes developing the skills they need to support and communicate with a diverse range of customers to provide a tailored service that recognises those with complex needs. Jobcentre staff have access to information on services and support available in their local area for vulnerable claimants and will signpost claimants to national and local organisations who provide specialist support. This has included Trauma Informed Approach training that many staff have now completed. Nationally DWP works with J9, a domestic abuse awareness national initiative. Work Coaches will tailor conditionality, setting requirements based on what is reasonable for the individual’s circumstances. A claimant’s work search and availability requirements can be switched off for an agreed period of time, and other work-related requirements can be lifted where appropriate. This includes where the claimant has suffered domestic violence and abuse, or periods where a child in their care is suffering distress due to experiencing or witnessing violence or abuse. To assist identification and claimant support, each Jobcentre Plus site has a complex needs toolkit in place. These are maintained and reviewed locally and contain a named single point of contact for areas such as Homelessness, Care leavers and Prison leavers. Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) are also on site to support when needed.

Jobcentres: Staff

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of work coaches have received mental health training.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of her Department's customer facing staff have received mental health training.

Mims Davies: Mental health training is available to all DWP staff who have contact with customers. This is designed to enable staff to respond appropriately to each customer’s issues. This learning is supplemented by point of need learning. As at 28th February 2022, 20,076 Work Coaches and Work Coach Team Leader staff have completed the Mental Health training. That is a percentage of 74%. Overall 38,823 members of staff in customer contact roles have received the training.

COP26

UN Climate Conference 2021

Mr Jonathan Lord: To ask the President of COP26, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Glasgow Climate Pact on tackling climate change.

Alok Sharma: At COP26 almost 200 countries agreed to the historic Glasgow Climate Pact which keeps alive the aim of limiting average global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Today 90% of global GDP is covered by net zero pledges (which includes China, the USA and India), up from 30% when the UK took on the COP Presidency, and 154 countries have submitted emissions reductions targets for 2030. Under the UK’s Presidency, 95% of the largest developed country climate finance providers made new commitments, with many doubling or even quadrupling their support for developing countries to take climate action.The Paris Agreement made promises and now Glasgow’s legacy is focused on delivery. The most recent IPCC report highlighted the urgency of action on emissions reductions; adaptation and finance to support developing nations; and loss and damage. Throughout the UK’s Presidency year, we will work with Egypt as incoming Presidency, with the UNFCCC Secretariat, and with Parties to deliver on the agreed outcomes in the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Energy: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the President of COP26, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts regarding net-zero appropriate energy alternatives in response to sanctions on Russia.

Alok Sharma: The UK and our international partners stand united in condemning the Russian government’s reprehensible actions, which are an egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter. The world must focus on generating cheaper, cleaner power that is not subject to volatile international markets.I have regular discussions with my European counterparts on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating a well-managed transition to cleaner, more efficient energy systems to deliver energy security.

Home Office

Home Office: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) list the spending programmes her Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Kit Malthouse: The Home Office does not record the information sought to the level of granularity required.Identifying individual spending programmes which are devolved to local government or other local spending bodies can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2022 to Question 121681, on Coronavirus: Disease Control, what recent discussions she has had with the Crown Prosecution Service on their investigation into fines which were wrongly handed down to people for alleged breaches of covid-19 restrictions; and if she will make a statement.

Kit Malthouse: The Home Office does not hold the information requested. This would be a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. The CPS publish data on a monthly basis on all coronavirus prosecutions.https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-review-findings-first-year-coronavirus-prosecutionsThis link sets out the findings on all Fixed Penalty Notice cases and cover the period of the first lockdown including those issued erroneously.

Visas: Russia

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Russian nationals who are holders of tier 1 visas have been identified as having previously been in the Russian armed forces.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visas: Seasonal Workers

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a visa scheme for seasonal workers to support the agricultural industry.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports: Gender

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have changed the sex marker on their UK passport in each year since 2005.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Visas: Ukraine

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral Statement of 1 March 2022, Official Report, column 915, whether family members normally resident in Ukraine are eligible to apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme if their relative in the UK is a (a) non British National, including Ukrainian citizens, with Indefinite Leave to Remain, (b) non British National on a work or study visa and (c) non British National on a visitor visa.

Kevin Foster: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Slavery

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of civil injunctions on compliance with Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2015.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making noncompliance with Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 a criminal offence.

Rachel Maclean: Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established the UK as the first country in the world to require businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. To comply with the requirement, statements must be:Published annually via a prominent link on the organisation's homepage;Approved by the Board of Directors or equivalent;Signed by a Director or equivalent.To assess compliance with the legal requirements, the Home Office contracted the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) to undertake an audit on the Home Office's behalf. The audit findings on levels of compliance were published on 17 September 2020 in the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner's annual report (available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-anti-slavery-commissioners-annual-report-2019-to-2020).The Secretary of State has the power to bring civil proceedings in the High Court for an injunction requiring an organisation to comply with the duty to produce a modern slavery statement. This power has not been used to date.In July 2018, the Home Secretary commissioned the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act. The aim of the Review was to identify where the Act is working well, what can be improved in the implementation of the Act and whether specific areas of the legislation need to be strengthened. The independent review recommended that Government should strengthen its approach to organisations failing to comply with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and recommended use of a civil penalty scheme to penalise non-compliance.The Government has committed to strengthen section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act, to ensure businesses and large public bodies report transparently on action they have taken to address modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains. These measures were set out in the Government’s response to the transparency in supply chains consultation, published on 22 September 2020.In addition, in January 2021 the Foreign Secretary announced that financial penalties will be introduced for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements. These measures require primary legislation and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. The Government will publish guidance to help organisations prepare for the new reporting requirements when timings of legislation are clear.

Slavery

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civil injunctions have been (a) sought and (b) issued against businesses through the High Court for noncompliance with Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2015.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many businesses have failed to comply with civil injunctions issued by the High Court for noncompliance with Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2015; and what fines were issued in each instance.

Rachel Maclean: No civil injunctions have been sought or issued against businesses for non-compliance with section 54 of Modern Slavery Act 2015.The Act requires businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. To comply with the requirement, statements must be:Published annually via a prominent link on the organisation's homepage;Approved by the Board of Directors or equivalent;Signed by a Director or equivalent.To assess levels of compliance with the legal requirements, the Home Office contracted the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) to undertake an audit on the Home Office’s behalf. The audit findings on levels of compliance were published on 17 September 2020 in the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s annual report (available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-anti-slavery-commissioners-annual-report-2019-to-2020).The Government has committed to strengthen section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act. As set out in the Government response to the transparency in supply chains consultation, published on 22 September 2020, these changes include introducing mandatory reporting topics; a single reporting deadline; and a central Government-run modern slavery statement registry to enable Government and others to monitor compliance.In addition, to enforce compliance with the Act, the Foreign Secretary announced in January 2021 that financial penalties will be introduced for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements. These measures require primary legislation and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.The Government modern slavery statement registry launched in March 2021. Since establishment, over 7,000 statements have been submitted covering over 23,350 organisations. The modern slavery statement registry has radically enhanced transparency by bringing together modern slavery statements on a single platform, empowering investors, consumers and civil society to scrutinise the action organisations are taking to prevent modern slavery in supply chains. We maintain that this collective approach to encourage ever greater transparency is the right one.

Refugees

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to respond to the People History Museum's postcard campaign Standing Together on refugees.

Tom Pursglove: I am aware of the People History Museum’s campaign, Standing Together, which opposes The Nationality and Borders Bill.The Nationality and Borders Bill is part of the Government’s New Plan for Immigration, delivering the most comprehensive reform of the asylum system in decades.Noting in particular the human rights concerns raised by this campaign, the Government confirms that the Bill - and the wider plan – comply with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Refugee Convention.

Members: Correspondence

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she received the letter from hon. Members from Greater Manchester headed Supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Greater Manchester, sent on 12 November 2021; and when she plans to reply to that letter.

Tom Pursglove: A reply was sent by the Minister for Afghan Resettlement on 4 February 2022.

Police: Training

Ben Everitt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to support the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme into the future.

Kit Malthouse: Demands on the police are changing and becoming increasingly complex, so it is important that we have a police workforce that has the knowledge and skills needed for the future.This Government is keen to see police forces recruit the best and brightest into their ranks, from all walks of life, as we work to deliver on our key manifesto pledge to recruit an additional 20,000 officers. In doing so, we support the implementation of the new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF), which is putting in place new entry routes for police constables to ensure that new recruits across all forces meet the same high standards.The College of Policing has been clear from the start of developing these new routes that full implementation will be delivered at a pace with which forces are comfortable. PEQF has now been implemented in 38 out of 43 forces and the College of Policing plans to phase out the old Initial Police Learning and Development Programme entirely by March 2023.

Crime: Rural Areas

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce rural crime; and what assessment her Department has made of the impact on communities of rural crime in (a) Somerton and Frome and (b) the South West.

Kit Malthouse: We are committed to driving down rural crime, which is why the Government is providing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit. We have also tabled amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to introduce tougher sentencing and improved police powers for hare coursing.Tackling rural crime is a priority for this Government and we are supporting the police by recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers by March 2023. As of 31 December 2021, polices forces in England and Wales have recruited over 11,000 additional officers as part of the three-year Police Uplift Programme. Avon and Somerset police has recruited 254 additional uplift officers against a combined year 1 and 2 allocation of 273 officers. As of 31 December 2021, police forces in the South West region have recruited 712 additional uplift officers against a combined year 1 and 2 allocation of 843.The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact on communities or rural crime in either (a) Somerton and Frome and (b) the South West. The independent Crime Survey for England and Wales continues to show that, for those crimes covered by the Survey, people in rural areas are less likely to be the victims of crime than those in urban areas. This is echoed by DEFRA’s Statistical Digest of Rural England, published in January 2022, that states “average crime rates are lower in rural areas than urban areas”. We recognise too that within rural communities some crimes are unique and specific in that they do not occur as frequently in urban areas.

Espionage: Russia

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the potential operation in the UK of covert agents acting for the Russian state.

Damian Hinds: While I cannot comment on the detail of security or intelligence matters, the UK has taken significant steps in recent years to counter the threat posed by the Russian state. We have repeatedly exposed the reckless and dangerous activities of the Russian Intelligence Services.The Government will be introducing new legislation, as soon as parliamentary time allows, to ensure our security services and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt the evolving threat posed from hostile activity by foreign states.

Visas: Investment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the risk to national security between 2008 and 2015 of people awarded Tier 1 investor visas.

Damian Hinds: The Home Secretary’s reasons for closing the Tier 1 (Investor) route were set out in her Written Statement of 21 February, which confirmed the review of the operation of the route between 2008 and 2015 is being finalised and it is our aim to publish it in the near future.Find further information here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-02-21/hcws614

Refugees: Afghanistan

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy principal applicants were considered eligible by the Ministry of Defence but  subsequently refused by her Department on national security grounds in each month since April 2021.

Victoria Atkins: The evacuation of eligible people from Afghanistan was a humanitarian effort- and at every step of the process, the security and safety of the UK and its citizens was front of mind. Where a threat is identified, it is investigated and we do not hesitate to take robust action against anyone who poses a threat to the UK.Information relating to how many individuals have been refused under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy on national security grounds is sensitive and is not published. We have no current plans to publish these figures.

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Afghan Chevening Scholars are able to contact her Department directly regarding their immigration status.

Victoria Atkins: Chevening Scholars should continue to liaise with their Chevening contact who can provide more detailed advice. In addition, they can contact the Home Office at Public.Enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide clarity to the 2021-22 intake of Afghan Chevening Scholars on their immigration status.

Victoria Atkins: We have contacted all of those from the 2021/22 cohort who came to the UK as part of Op Pitting, and registered their applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) onto HO systems.This means that they have continuing permission to be in the UK, and their ILR applications will be processed by April 2022. Any 2021/22 Chevening Scholars who were already in the UK have ongoing permission to be here.

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to provide information to the Afghan Chevening Scholars on their immigration status.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office’s Policy Statement (updated 13.9.21) explained that we had introduced a concessionary approach which applied to any Afghan national who had permission under work or study routes to be in the UK before 1 September 2021. This means that Chevening scholars already in the UK may be eligible to apply to either the Graduate or the Skilled Worker route.The Graduate route allows individuals to spend 2-3 years in the UK looking for and undertaking work at any skill level, before switching into another economic route (including the Skilled Worker route). The Skilled Worker route provides a pathway to settlement.

Immigration: Afghanistan

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is reviewing the validity of indefinite leave to remain applications for those currently stranded in Afghanistan.

Victoria Atkins: Those who have indefinite leave to remain in the UK who are currently in Afghanistan should make themselves known to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).The UK is working with international partners to secure safe routes out of Afghanistan as soon as they become available.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Community Assets: Regional Planning and Development

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of levelling-up assets of community value for the Government's levelling-up agenda in (a) Nottingham East constituency and (b) England.

Neil O'Brien: The Government recognises the important role which community ownership of assets of community value has in levelling up our communities and in restoring local pride.In the Levelling Up White Paper we have set out the actions we are taking to support community ownership. As part of our Strategy for Community Spaces and Relationships we will set out how the existing frameworks supporting community assets can be enhanced.Through the 4-year £150 million Community Ownership Fund we are ensuring that community groups have access to the resources to safeguard community assets at risk of loss.

Local Government Finance

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the rising costs of energy on local government finances.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to support local authorities in managing the financial impact of wholesale price rises in the energy market.

Kemi Badenoch: The Spending Review settlement, announced in October 2021, took into account a variety of unit cost pressures for local government, including inflation. We will continue to work with the sector to understand the impact of changes to costs over the financial year.The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23 makes available an additional £3.7 billion to councils, including funding for adult social care reform. This is an increase in local authority funding for 2022/23 of over 4.5% in real terms, which will ensure councils across the country have the resources they need to deliver key services.

Housing: Building Alterations

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people living with (a) motor neurone disease and (b) other terminal illnesses have timely access to housing adaptations.

Mr Louie French: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure people living with motor neurone disease and other terminal illnesses have timely access to housing adaptations.

Eddie Hughes: Since 2010 Government has invested £4 billion into the Disabled Facilities Grant (2010-11 to 2021-22) to help meet the cost of home adaptations for people of all ages and tenures, including those living with motor neurone disease and other terminal illnesses.   The Government announced £573 million for this grant in each year from 2022-23 to 2024-25, in the recently published Adult Social Care White Paper, People at the Heart of Care. Local authorities also have legal powers to fast-track assistance for home adaptations if agreed locally and published in a local Housing Assistance Policy.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Social Clubs

Gareth Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will provide a list of (a) professional staff networks and (b) social clubs operating within his Department; and if he will provide the (i) budgets and (ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years.

Mr Alister Jack: The Scotland Office does not operate any professional staff networks or social clubs. The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. Those that join, do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government Departments, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, who remain the employers. Scotland Office colleagues have access to the staff networks and social clubs of their employing departments.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Michael Ellis: The Cabinet Office did not devolve any spending programmes for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies in financial year 2021/22.

Africa: Bain and Company

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2022 to Question 102572, Bain and Company, if he will make an assessment of the potential risks to the (a) aims set out in the Government’s Integrated Review and (b) public perception of those aims, specifically of tackling (i) global corruption, (ii) illicit finance and (iii) the use of UK corporate structures in facilitating high-end money laundering, of continued participation in UK public procurement by Bain and Company.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: Officials are engaging with Bain & Company better to understand the status of the findings in the recently published Zondo Commission reports and to seek appropriate assurances to the Government that Bain has taken steps to remedy any shortcomings identified therein.The grounds for exclusion of organisations from bidding for Government contracts are set out in The Public Contracts Regulations 2015. These rules set out the circumstances in which bidders must, or may, be excluded from a public procurement process for a variety of criminal offences and in other specific situations. In all cases, individual departments and other public sector bodies are responsible for their own decisions on these matters, which apply only to the award of new contracts.

Government: Procurement

Lee Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help increase opportunities for fulfilment companies in Ashfield to secure Government contracts.

Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg: Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. That is why we are making sure Government spending supports this vital sector, both as part of our economic recovery from COVID-19 and as part of our levelling up agenda. We are increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a variety of ways - from transparently publishing contract pipelines to simplifying bidding processes.These measures are working. The latest procurement figures for 2019/20 show that £15.5bn was paid to small and medium sized businesses to help deliver vital public services. This figure is an increase of £1.3bn on the previous year and the highest since records began in 2013.Now we have left the EU, we are able to redesign our procurement framework to create a simpler regime which will be of great benefit to UK SMEs.

Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Disclosure of Information

Dan Carden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2021 to Question 3128 on Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Disclosure of information, if he will provide a breakdown of the costs to the public purse incurred in relation to this matter to date.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: I refer the hon. Member to his previous Parliamentary Question answered on 24 May PQ 3128. The government does not comment on the costs of ongoing litigation and will publish the costs at the conclusion of the case.

Department for International Trade

Shipping: Russia

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, for what reason Russian Federation cargo has not been sanctioned following the implementation of sanctions on Russian Federation vessels as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

Mike Freer: The Department for International Trade has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Trade Agreements: New Zealand

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on which day and at what time her Department shared (a) the whole UK-New Zealand free trade agreement, (b) elements of the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement and (c) a press release announcing that that agreement was to be signed with (i) media representatives, (ii) the Trade and Agriculture Commission and (iii) any of the Trade Advisory Groups or members.

Penny Mordaunt: The Department for International Trade has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Humanitarian Aid: EU Countries

Joanna Cherry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) trade rules implemented following the UK's departure from the EU and (b) rules on sending charitable donations of goods to EU countries on the number of shipments of humanitarian aid from the UK to EU countries, such as Greece and Poland.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: The Department for International Trade has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

UK Export Finance: Russia

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what Care on Location restrictions UK Export Finance is operating with respect to requests for cover on exports to the Russian Federation; and when those restrictions were last updated.

Mike Freer: UK Export Finance (UKEF) is currently reviewing all of its cover provisions to support exporters engaged in exporting to the Russian Federation. Under UKEF’s current care on location stipulations for the Russian Federation, in place since at least June 2020, no support is given for transactions in disputed territories.

Joy Global: UK Export Finance

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much of the £7,623,339.97 maximum liability for UK Export Finance arising from the underwriting of credit for Joy Global (UK) Ltd in 2019-20 on the export of mining equipment to SUEK OJSC is still at stake as of the end of February 2022.

Mike Freer: UK Export Finance (UKEF) does not release details of outstanding exposure on individual transactions for reasons of commercial sensitivity.

Trade Agreements: India

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2022 to Question 119886 on Trade Agreements: Greater Manchester, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Free Trade Agreement with India on (a) Stockport and (b) Greater Manchester.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: A trade deal between the United Kingdom and India could boost the economy of communities across the north west of England by up to £304 million, compared to 2019. It could cut red tape and improve market access for the more than 1,000 businesses in this corner of the country that exported over £310 million worth of goods to India in 2019.

UK Trade with EU: Preferential Tariffs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the Preference Utilisation Rates are in total for UK trade with the EU since the end of the transition period; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: Preference utilisation on the EU imports of goods from the United Kingdom was 76% in the period January-November 2021. This rate has increased since the end of the Transition Period, reaching 79% in November 2021. No data is available for preference utilisation on British imports from the EU for this period.

Zimbabwe: Trade Promotion

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she plans to appoint a UK Trade Envoy to Zimbabwe.

Mike Freer: We are constantly reviewing suitable markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to the Government’s trade and investment objectives. There are no plans at present to add Zimbabwe to the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Programme.

Trade Agreements: Agriculture

Stuart Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that new trade deals support UK farmers and food producers.

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: As a result of the recent agreements, businesses will benefit from the elimination of tariffs on all British exports to Australia and New Zealand. These deals are a gateway to joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), where British food and drink exports were worth £1.8 billion in 2020. In addition to securing trade deals, we continue to support our farmers by knocking down trade barriers across the globe, from securing access to sell British pork in Mexico, to reopening the American market for British lamb.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the the Answer of 10 January 2022 to Question 100568 on Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, how her Department defines the threshold for minimal impact.

Penny Mordaunt: The Department for International Trade does not have a definition of the threshold for minimal impact. In the response I gave to the Hon. Member’s question, UIN:100568, we said “We do not expect the revised Strategic Export Licensing Criteria to have a significant impact on the level of arms exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates” There is no special meaning to the phrase “significant impact” as used in our answer.

Department for International Trade: Social Media

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff in her Department are managing ministerial social media accounts as either (a) their primary responsibility or (b) as part of their role.

Penny Mordaunt: We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests. In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.

Department for International Trade: Social Media

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much her Department has spent on producing social media videos and graphics for use on ministerial social media accounts since January 2020.

Penny Mordaunt: We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests. In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers. The Department for International Trade employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online.

Australia: Trade Agreements

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the UK-Australia trade deal will be subject to sufficient Parliamentary scrutiny.

Penny Mordaunt: The Government put in place extensive parliamentary scrutiny arrangements including publishing negotiating objectives, economic scoping assessments and regular statements to Parliament.Now that the agreement has been signed, there will be opportunity for further scrutiny including time for the relevant Select Committees and the Trade and Agriculture Commission to produce reports on the deal. Parliament can resolve against ratification of the agreement through the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Any legislative changes required to give effect to the agreement will need to be scrutinised and passed by Parliament in the usual way before it can be brought into force.

Trade Agreements: Australia

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that UK farmers are not disadvantaged as a result of the UK-Australia trade deal.

Penny Mordaunt: Farmers are protected from the tariff elimination in the deal through staged liberalisation, tariff quotas and product specific safeguards for beef and sheep. A general bilateral safeguard mechanism, which applies to all products, will also provide a temporary safety net for industry if they face serious injury, or threat thereof, from increased imports as a result of tariff elimination under the free trade agreement.

Fairtrade Initiative

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Fairtrade farmers and workers are considered in the Government’s trade policy.

Penny Mordaunt: The Department for International Trade (DIT) works closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including trade unions, trade for development NGOs and the Fairtrade Foundation – whose CEO sits on DIT’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group – to understand fully the interests of Fairtrade farmers and workers, and seeks to negotiate outcomes that support fair treatment of workers around the world.

Department for International Trade: Russia

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many of the 9 UK staff and 60 local staff employed to promote her Department’s export and investment objectives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as of 31 March 2021 were based in the Russian Federation.

Penny Mordaunt: As of 31 March 2021, the Department for International Trade (DIT) had a total of 16 staff based in the Russian Federation.

Whisky: USA

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of US whiskey imports since the introduction of tariffs in 2018.

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has plans to remove the 25 per cent import tariff on US whiskey.

Penny Mordaunt: According to HMRC data, UK imports of targeted US whiskies have fallen from £121m in 2017 to £82m in 2019 and, in the context of continued tariffs and the pandemic, to £64m in 2020 and £63m in 2021 Our rebalancing measures are necessary only as long as the US’ additional tariffs on UK steel, aluminium and derivatives products remain in place It is a key priority of the government to reach an agreement to remove these tariffs. We are in negotiations with the US and look forward to coming to an expeditious resolution to this issue.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Facebook: Safety

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the article entitled Facebook failing to flag harmful climate misinformation, new research finds, published by the Centre for countering digital hate in February 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the findings that Metaverse is unsafe.

Chris Philp: The Government takes the issue of mis and disinformation very seriously, including climate misinformation. During the COP-26 Summit last year the cross Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit brought together monitoring and analysis capabilities and expertise from across Government to understand the scope, scale, and nature of disinformation and misinformation risks to the Summit and worked with partners to tackle it. We are regularly engaging with social media platforms to flag content that we consider to be particularly harmful. Where this content breaches their own terms and conditions, we expect platforms to remove it promptly.We are also introducing groundbreaking legislation to help prevent the spread of harmful disinformation. The Online Safety Bill will force companies subject to the safety duties to tackle illegal misinformation and disinformation in scope of the Bill, and protect children from harmful content. The biggest platforms will also need to address legal but harmful content for adults, which will include some types of harmful misinformation and disinformation.The Bill will apply to all services that allow users to post content online or to interact with each other, regardless of whether users interact through online forums or as avatars in a digital environment. This includes the Metaverse. However, we expect companies to take steps now to improve safety, and not wait for the legislation to come into force before acting.

Performing Arts

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the theatre industry about skills and training opportunities in the performing arts technical skills sector.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle skills shortages in the performing arts technical skills sector.

Nigel Huddleston: As the creative sectors continue to grow and build back better from the pandemic, the government understands the importance of ensuring that the creative industries do not suffer from skills shortages, including the performing arts technical skills sector. That is why the government has supported initiatives to boost training and employment opportunities in these sectors, such as the industry-led Creative Careers Programme.Throughout the pandemic, DCMS Ministers and officials have had, and continue to have, regular meetings and discussions with representatives of the theatre sector on a range of issues. The Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay has had a number of meetings with theatres, both one-to-one and collectively. In February, the Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure held a creative apprentices roundtable with industry to mark apprenticeships week - this was attended by apprentices from the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre. We continue to involve the theatre sector in ongoing policy work.At last year’s Budget, the Chancellor announced a new £7 million pilot fund to test ‘flexi-job’ apprenticeships, which will better suit the working practices of the creative industries and enable more young people to enter the workforce. This builds on the DCMS-funded ScreenSkills Apprenticeship Pilot with Netflix and Warner Media, relaunched last Summer with apprentices working across multiple productions and employers.DCMS supports the industry-led Creative Careers Programme, which has to date showcased creative career pathways to over 115,000 pupils at over 1,500 schools across England, as well as the Department for Work and Pensions’ Kickstart Scheme through which over 8,000 creative industry placements are now available to young people across the country.DCMS is also leading on the development of a Creative Industries Sector Vision, due to be published in summer 2022, which will set out our vision for the sector in 2030 and a long-term strategy focused on promoting growth within the sector. This includes considering the skills, workforce and talent pipeline challenges and opportunities for the sector.

National Lottery

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the contribution was to good causes from each pound spent on National Lottery games in (a) 2010 and (b) 2021; and what total amount in contributions to good causes was so raised in each of those years.

Chris Philp: The precise breakdown of contribution to good causes from each £ spent on National Lottery games varies depending on the level of sales, the types of game being sold and the period of the licence that has been reached. The table below gives a breakdown of the total returns to good causes against the proportion returned £ spent in 2009/10 and 2020/21. Although the per £ return is lower in 2020/21, the overall return to good causes is higher. The reduction in good cause money per £ of sales is caused largely by a mix shift towards scratchcards and online instant win games which return a lower amount per £ sales. The contribution per £ of sales for each underlying product type has remained broadly the same over the period.Financial yearTotal returns to good causesReturn to good causes per £2020/21£1,833m21.4p2009/10£1,496m26.9pDCMS reports annually on the level of good cause income in the National Lottery Distribution Fund Annual Report and Accounts.

National Lottery: Children

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what protections have been put in place by the National Lottery operator to prevent under-18 year olds from playing National Lottery games online, since the new minimum age restrictions for the playing of such games online came into force in April 2021.

Chris Philp: The age to play the National Lottery changed from 16 to 18 years on 22 April 2021.Digital players are subject to online Experian age-verification checks when registering for an account. Therefore, anyone under-18 will be prevented from opening an account with the National Lottery. Existing 16 and 17 year olds accounts were closed at the appropriate point and no under 18s were able to continue playing online.In retail, in the months leading up to the change and continuing since, there was a range of communications from the National Lottery operator to retailers to ensure the new age limits are adhered to, consisting of retail visits, phone calls, training videos and other written information. The operator continues to be required to undertake test purchase activity, to establish whether sales have been or are being made or are likely to be made by retailers to purchasers under the age of 18, with a pass rate above 90% being achieved in the first few months of tests relating to the new age limits. This is a similar level of compliance to that achieved when the age limit was 16.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Camelot Group

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on how many occasions she or her predecessor, or Ministers or senior civil servants of her Department, met with Camelot representatives in the last 12 months.

Chris Philp: Camelot is the licensee for the current licence to run the National Lottery. The Department meets with them regularly and on an ad hoc basis to discuss issues relating to their operation of the Third National Lottery licence and these meetings may include both senior and working level civil servants.All ministerial meetings are published on GOV.UK and can be accessed on the website.Additionally the Directors General for Culture, Sport and Civil Society held an introductory meeting with Matt Ridsdale, Executive Director and Nigel Railton, CEO of Camelot on 9 March 2021.

National Lottery

Alex Davies-Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the difference has been in the amount of projected funds raised for good causes by the National Lottery and actual funds so raised in the most recent bid period for which such information is available.

Chris Philp: The Gambling Commission provides DCMS and the Lottery Distributing Bodies with good cause forecasts updated on a six-monthly basis to assist them with their grant planning. The forecast is presented as a range, with low, high and central scenarios. The modelling approach is regularly refined to ensure the forecasts remain as accurate as possible. We do not publish this information given commercial sensitivities.Actual returns are broadly consistent with these forecasts. The National Lottery returned £1,833m to good causes in 2020/21.

Gambling: Fines

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2022 to Question 124952 on Gambling: Fines, in which of the 46 cases was the level of the financial penalty reduced following representations and evidence received from the company concerned.

Chris Philp: The Commission’s statement of principles for determining financial penalties and indicative sanctions guidance sets out the process governing imposition of a penalty, including the circumstances in which the Commission may consider it appropriate to reduce the size of a financial penalty. This can be for various reasons, including mitigating factors and affordability concerns.Except in exceptional circumstances, the Commission publishes the outcome of its considerations and not the prior steps, which could involve release of commercially sensitive information and/ or provide a formula for pricing in non-compliance. It is not therefore appropriate to share further detail on specific cases by name. However, since April 2018, the Gambling Commission has identified five financial penalties which were reduced as a result of representations made to the Commission prior to the point of issue.

Youth Services: Finance

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of her Department’s funding for youth programmes is provided to programmes in the Midlands.

Nigel Huddleston: DCMS provides funding for a range of youth programmes benefitting young people in the Midlands and right across England, such as the National Citizen Service (NCS). DCMS recently announced a new National Youth Guarantee, ensuring that by 2025, every young person in England will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer.The Youth Investment Fund, however, is a geographically targeted fund levelling up access to youth services in those areas that need it most. Ministerial decisions regarding which areas would be eligible to apply were taken on the basis of high quality, robust and publicly available data. The eligible areas and a detailed explanation of the methodology is available on the GOV.UK website here.19 upper tier local authorities across the East and West Midlands qualify in whole or part for support from YIF, covering over 350,000 young people between the ages of 11-18.It is not possible to assess the proportion of this investment that will be awarded to these Midlands areas as applications for Phase 1 of the fund are currently being reviewed and Phase 2 of the fund will open later this year.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fly-tipping

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ability of local authorities to (a) investigate all incidents of fly-tipping in a timely manner and (b) prosecute fly-tippers in the event that they have sufficient evidence of that offence.

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) adequacy of the severity of the deterrent for flytipping.

Jo Churchill: We expect local authorities to investigate all incidents of fly-tipping, including those on private land, prosecute fly-tippers when there is sufficient evidence and recover investigation, enforcement and clearance costs where possible. Investigations have consistently been the most common action taken against fly-tipping incidents over time, accounting for 69% of all actions in 2020/21, with 316,000 investigations in total. This is an increase of 7% from 2019/20, where 296,000 investigations were carried out. In 2016 we legislated to introduce a fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping of up to £400.In addition, vehicles of those suspected of committing a waste crime, including fly-tipping, can be searched and seized. For more serious offences, prosecution allows for both an unlimited fine and up to five years imprisonment. While sentencing is a matter for courts, we have worked with the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to develop a guide to help local authorities and others present robust cases to court as a means of securing tougher sentences. We intend to publish this shortly. I was pleased to see that Aylesbury Crown Court recently sentenced a serial fly-tipper who dumped rubbish in multiple local authorities to 21 months in prison and ordered his van seized.

Dogs: Animal Breeding

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle illegal puppy farms.

Jo Churchill: This Government takes the issue of low-welfare and illegal supply of puppies very seriously. Significant steps have already been taken to improve and update the laws on dog breeding in England to crack down on unscrupulous breeders who breed dogs purely for financial greed at the expense of animal welfare. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the licence requirements for animal related activities such as pet selling or dog breeding. They therefore hold details of the enforcement activity being undertaken in their area, including information relating to low-welfare and illegal breeding activity. Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards, including provisions to protect dogs from being bred from too often or at an early age, which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences. Any licensee advertising dogs for sale will need to include their licence number in the advert and specify the local authority who issued the licence. Additional requirements placed on advertisements include that the age of the dog for sale must be displayed along with a recognisable photograph. We banned the commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England from 6 April 2020. This ban aims to disrupt the low-welfare trade that supports puppy farming by preventing pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy must buy direct from a breeder or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead. Meanwhile my department maintains Petfished, a national communications campaign, to raise awareness of issues associated with low-welfare and illegal supply of pets. This includes providing clear signposting to where responsible breeders and rehoming centres can be found and encouraging prospective buyers to research the seller thoroughly before they visit and decide to purchase. The campaign provides a list of red flags for buyers to look out for when searching for a pet online. More information can be found here:https://getyourpetsafely.campaign.gov.uk.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) list the spending programmes his Department devolves for administration to local government in England and other local spending bodies and (b) specify the value for each programme for every year for which budgets are agreed.

Victoria Prentis: The programmes listed below are devolved to local authorities using grant funding: Air Quality Grant Scheme to Local AuthoritiesBathing Water SignageClean Bus Technology FundGAP Clean Air HubIFCA Grant - Hampshire Inshore Fisheries and Conservation SupportNO2 Plan Clean Air FundNO2 Plan Implementation Fund And Feasibility Studies FundingPart 1 of Commons Act 2006Support for Third Wave Local Authority Targeted Feasibility StudiesSupporting local authority Feasibility Studies for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxideWaste Infrastructure PFI Grant Expenditure and other details of each programme are published centrally by the Cabinet Office under the Government grants information system. The 2018/19 publication is shown here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-grants-register-2018-to-2019 The 2019/20 publication is shown here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/government-grants-statistics-2019-to-2020 Data for 2020/21 is not yet complete and is expected to be published in September 2022.

Veterinary Medicine: Misconduct

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of the rise of professional misconduct claims against veterinary practices in the UK.

Victoria Prentis: The Department has made no assessment of the rise in professional misconduct claims made against veterinary practices in the UK. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the regulatory body for the veterinary profession in the UK and at present can only hear cases against individual veterinary surgeons amounting to gross professional misconduct. The RCVS has submitted proposals to Defra for reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, including amendments to the disciplinary system including statutory regulation of veterinary practices, not just individual vets. These proposed changes are currently being considered.

Poultry: Exports

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a SPS agreement with the EU in the context of decreasing volumes of UK chicken exports to the EU.

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of concluding a SPS agreement with the EU for UK industries that export (a) salmon, (b) beef, (c) lamb, (d) shellfish and (e) fish to the EU.

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an SPS agreement between the UK and EU on the number of vets required [to conduct veterinary checks on imports from the EU].

Victoria Prentis: The Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes an SPS chapter which allows the UK and the EU to take a risk-based approach to our respective SPS border controls and provides a basis for cooperation on avoiding unnecessary barriers to trade. Through the provisions of the SPS Chapter the UK is working with the EU to take forward electronic certification, which will enable greater volumes of goods to flow with ease between EU and GB through reducing delays and reducing business administration for official veterinarians. We are open to discussions with the EU on additional steps to further reduce trade friction, but these cannot be on the basis of future alignment with EU rules. This would compromise UK sovereignty over our own laws.

Food Aid: EU Countries

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assist those who wish to deliver food aid via the EU to support Ukrainian refugees now in Eastern Europe.

Victoria Prentis: Defra has been contacted by many individuals and organisations willing to generously donate their time, money and resources to helping the Ukrainian people. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is leading on the distribution of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Individuals who wish to help Ukraine are urged to donate to the Red Cross or DEC Ukraine appeals (www.dec.org.uk/). Cash donations will be more effective at enabling experienced aid workers to reach the people who need help the most, rather than donations of goods. Reputable NGOs such as these will be able to efficiently utilise existing supply chains.

Birds of Prey: Nature Conservation

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the reintroduction of (a) the white-tailed sea eagle and (b) other endangered raptor species in the East of England.

Rebecca Pow: As a core part of our commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it, the Environment Act will set a new legally binding target to halt the decline of species abundance by 2030. We will shortly be publishing a Green Paper to look at how we can drive the delivery of that target, including through our sites and species protections. The Government continues to support a wide range of successful and ongoing reintroductions and translocations for raptors such as hen harrier to southern England. To support the reintroduction of white-tailed eagle, in 2021 Natural England issued a licence for a ten-year project to release the species at a site in Norfolk. Defra also provided funding to support the Isle of Wight white-tailed eagle reintroduction project led by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, as well as the support provided through the involvement of Forestry England. The project aims to reintroduce up to 60 eagles to the Isle of Wight over a five-year period. As a result of decades of conservation work including reintroductions and increased protections, many birds of prey such as the red kite, marsh harrier and white-tailed eagle have been helped off the UK Red List for birds. We will shortly be establishing an England Species Reintroductions Task Force to provide a collective evidence-based view on potential species for conservation translocation and reintroduction in England.

Question

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's announcement of a call for evidence on the use of snares, when his Department plans to launch that call for evidence; how long that call for evidence will last; and what stages that call for evidence will comprise.

Rebecca Pow: The call for evidence on the use of snares will be launched in due course. The call for evidence is planned to run for 12 weeks and will be launched online. After closing the call for evidence, responses will be analysed and a summary of responses will be published online.

Research: Expenditure

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2022 to Question 119565 on Research: Expenditure, how much money from the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment will be allocated to R&D.

Rebecca Pow: The Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment is funded from Defra’s central R&D budget so is wholly considered R&D.

Water Charges: Government Assistance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to tackle water poverty in the UK in the context of increasing costs of living.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department provides to people who are struggling to pay their water bills.

Rebecca Pow: Defra expects all water companies to help those struggling to pay their water bill through measures such as WaterSure, Social Tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. We set out these expectations in our Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat, which requires Ofwat to consider the affordability of bills for all customers, as well as requiring that water companies have protections in place to support households who struggle with their water bills.In May 2021, the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) published recommendations following their review of water affordability support in England and Wales. Many of these recommendations are now in place or are being considered for implementation by water companies, and CCW continues to work with water companies to deliver the outcomes of the review. Furthermore, since then CCW and water companies have piloted innovative new initiatives to improve awareness of, and access to, existing support measures. We are currently working with CCW, Ofwat, charities and water companies to explore the remaining recommendations to further support people who are struggling to pay their water bills.

Land Drainage

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2022 to Question 129231, on Land Drainage, when the first meeting of the advisory group was held; and whether a date has been set for the next meeting of that group.

Rebecca Pow: The first meeting of the advisory group was held in December 2021. Input from a broad range of stakeholders is key to this review and exact dates for the next advisory group meetings are currently being finalised.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Advertising

Geraint Davies: To ask the Attorney General, how much her Department spent in total on social media advertising in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 as of 28 February 2022; and on which platforms that money was spent.

Alex Chalk: The Attorney General’s Office uses the free subscription services only on departmental social media accounts and therefore has had a nil spend on social media advertising.

Economic Crime: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, what assessment she has made of (a) the current capacity available and (b) the additional resources required for the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute the new offences that will be established in the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, which of the Crown Prosecution Service's dedicated divisions for (a) international justice and organised crime, (b) special crime and counter terrorism and (c) specialist fraud will be responsible for prosecuting the new offences that will be established in the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill.

Alex Chalk: In March 2021, the CPS launched its first ever Economic Crime Strategy to ensure we keep pace with the changing nature of crime. It is a high-level strategy which allows the flexibility to respond and adapt to new and emerging threats. The CPS currently has a dedicated Specialist Fraud Division with specialist prosecutors to ensure it has the right skills and resources to prosecute complex economic crime cases, ranging from the prosecution of bankers and investment scams, to the prosecution of those who seek to defraud the taxpayer of millions of pounds. With effect from the 1 April 2022, a new Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate will be launched, merging the Specialist Fraud Division and the International Justice and Organised Crime Division. This new directorate will provide more resilience and will be responsible for prosecuting the new offences established in the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill.

Slavery: Offences

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General, how many offences have been recorded under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2015; and how many of those offences led to a (a) prosecution and (b) conviction.

Alex Chalk: Data on the number of offences recorded under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is captured in police recorded crime data and this information is available from the Home Office. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold recorded crime data and therefore it is not possible to say how many recorded offences subsequently resulted in a prosecution or conviction.